Friday Devotional...12/9/11

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

When Christmas time rolls around each year we often find ourselves humming to the old familiar Christmas Carols of days of an old era gone by. Often times children bundle up to weather the cold with scarves and mittens attired to sing these old familiar memorized verses  at the steps of houses looking in at warm fire places blazing as families listen carefully to the beautiful harmonized voices at their front door. Church congregations sing these old familiar tunes most having to have a copy of the words to capture all the verses to sing out the vocal cords.

But I wonder if most stop to consider what these songs are saying to us as these wise men of old penned these lines….let us consider:

(Verse 1)

God rest you merry gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay

For Jesus Christ our Saviour

Was born on Christmas-day,

To save us all from Satan’s pow’r

When we were gone astray;

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy

I take this as saying… let nothing trouble you for Jesus our Saviour was born to save us all from Satan’s power…for we were all gone astray. Oh what tidings of comfort and joy!

(Verse 3)

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by name

O tidings of comfort and joy

I take that as a big Hallelujah !! For we know the NAME of the Son of God….His name is Jesus ! What Comfort and Joy!

(Verse 6)

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan’s pow’r and might

O tidings of comfort and joy

We’re Free, We’re Free, We’re Free because we trust in Him ….No longer captive by the devil’s power and might.

(Verse 7)

Now to the Lord sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth deface

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy

Written by

Glenna Williamson