I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything, but at last I am on Christmas vacation and have a few moments to spare.
As I was writing our family advent devotionals the other day, God led me to the song God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I must confess I've never given its lyrics much thought and simply passed them off as outdated, singing them by rote, as yet another holiday tradition. What I discovered was a rich treasure, which was anything but outdated.
First of all, did you know that in the old English, the word merry didn't mean happy? Me neither! It meant strong or valiant. So we don't know if Robin Hood's men were happy or not, but we do know they were described as strong or valiant. So, if sung in more familiar terms to us, the lyrics would be, "God rest you, strong & valiant gentlemen...". But wait, there's more!
What about the word rest? Interestingly, this word didn't mean rest as we think of it - personally a nap on the couch sounds pretty good to me! But this word meant to make. God make you strong & valiant, gentlemen. Let nothing you dismay (There's no need to worry). Remember...
Christ (The Anointed One) was born on Christmas Day. The suffix mas means festival or feast day.
So Jesus Christ, The Anointed One, The Messiah makes us strong if we rest in Him. His yoke is easy, His burden light. Greater is He Who is in us than He Who is in the world. He has overcome the world. In our weakness, He is strong. We can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us.
Cool!
So when we wish one another a Merry Christmas, we are really blessing one another with the heavenly strength of the Anointed One, Jesus Christ. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas gift to give someone, doesn't it?
And a wonderful way to love The One and love the one...
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