The Trumpet Sounds: ‘Christmas Carols’

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O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining.

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the Soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was born.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I absolutely love all the Christ-centered things that surround Christmas! I love the gatherings, the decorations, the food, and above all the Christmas carols. Growing up we always looked forward to Christmas. This time of the year always seemed so dark and cold, but we always knew the hope of Christmas was coming.

To this day I can still close my eyes and see all of my family. In my mind I can hear them singing. If I think hard enough I can still smell the Christmas cookies. Christmas is something that always stays with you even during the times that are dark. One of my favorite Christmas carols is “O Holy Night.” I love the stillness of the song, the anticipation of a coming savior, and the presence of light emerging from the darkness.

It was on that holy night that God chose to bring His perfect and holy Son into the world. The Bible says in Luke 2:32 that “He is a light to reveal GOD to the nations, and he is the Glory of your people Israel!” God could have easily made Jesus’ birth triumphant, but He chose not to. It is through all that imperfection that made this night so holy and so perfect.

The way God brought His son into the world is much the same way He works within our lives. Oftentimes God takes the imperfections in our lives and uses them to perfect us. God loves to take the physical and emotional scars and use those to grow us into stronger people. He also desires us to take what we learned from our imperfections and help others who may be struggling with the same things. Just as Jesus was a light to reveal God to all the nations, we can be that same light as well.

This Christmas don’t let your imperfections hold you back. Instead, allow God to use them to shape you into the person He designed you to be, which is a light in a dark world. This Sunday at 10:45 during worship at South Side we will begin a four-week sermon series entitled “Carols.” Each week leading up to Christmas we will be taking a look at a Christmas carol, and talk about how they impact our life. I’d like to invite you and your family to come celebrate the most wonderful time of the year!

In Christ,

Barry Pettit

Lead Minister

South Side Church of Christ

www.southsidewch.com

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By Barry Pettit

Religion Columnist

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