Noël, Jésus est né!

 

Big Idea: Diane loves a beautiful Christmas Carol in French that she learned while working in Africa.

This advent Diane would like to reflect on Christmas songs that meant something special to her at different stages of life.

A West African Christmas

Christmas at 75 degrees.

Christmas in West Africa showed me Christmas is celebrated beyond culture, beyond geography. It is about remembering that Jesus was sent to this world.

I worked during a 10 year time span as a nurse and Bible instructor in Guinea, West Africa at the Telekoro Bible Institute. I lived on a campus with several other teaching staff and about 50 students enrolled in pastoral education.

I loved the children! Our pastors in training were often married with young children who were delightful. “Mademoiselle! Mademoiselle!” They’d chant, as I came to their place.

Christmas under the palm trees

Christmas was celebrated in Guinea on Christmas Eve, and Christmas morning in church, which was actually a rather chilly time of year. It was the start of dry season.

The afternoon was spent with a big African meal with classroom tables put end to end under the palm trees lining our campus.

In the evening we sang Christmas songs in their national language to dancing in a circle; the African gourd keeping the beat.

Noël, Jésus est né!

My favorite song from France, sang as hymn, was a great children’s melody. It reminded me of American kids singing “Away in a manger.”

Here are the words by Jaques Blocher with a rough English translation.

 

Here is a link to an online choir singing this beautiful song.

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Previous post: Handel's Messiah 
Upcoming post: Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee

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Reflect:

Have you an experience of Christmas in another country, culture or place of very different from what you have previously known? How might that cause you to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas?

Handel's Messiah

Big Idea: Diane reflects on her growing love of “The Messiah” during her college days.

This advent Diane would like to reflect on Christmas songs that meant something special to her at different stages of life.

You Learn Stuff at College

I enjoyed my high school and college friendships. Those days of youthful glee never come again.

I went to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with opportunities to go attend plays, concerts, lectures and other life enhancing experiences.

One of the events I attended was the Christmas portion of “Handle’s Messiah” with a sing-a-long. I don’t remember who I went with but I remember the joy of the experience.

In high school I played a piano duet in a competition playing the Hallelujah Chorus. Having spent high school years playing song on the piano, playing the violin in an orchestra, singing in choirs, attending this event in a large auditorium was exhilarating!

“Hallelujah”

College is a time for learning, even at events. I learned everyone stands immediately at the first note of the Hallelujah Chorus.

The legend is that George Frederick Handel, who wrote the piece in 24 days, and financially supported by King George II. It is said when the king heard it for the first time he stood at the Hallelujah Chorus.

The words in it include “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” It is thought that King George II recognized Jesus the Messiah is above even him.

Queen Elizabeth once said in a Christmas message,

Whatever role or position we hold in this life, may we always devote ourselves to serve and bow to Him, “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords.” 1 Timothy 6:15 (NASB)  Queen Elizabeth's Christmas address 2000

After college I moved to New York City to work at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center for a couple of years.

"The words pierced my heart"

At my church on 68th Street in Manhattan I recall chatting with the choir director that I love the choral work, “The Messiah.” This talented professional on Broadway told me how the words of Handle’s Messiah affected her.

“As I memorized the words to sing the choral piece, they pierced my heart. I was in a dark place. The words of the songs were powerful about my need for a mighty God to forgive me and give me peace. It changed my life.”

The Bible word for word

The choral pieces alternate between the Old Testament and the New Testament telling the story of Jesus.

It is from the King James Bible different from our language today but poetically beautiful.

Here is a Christmas thought from the Accompagnato (for bass voice)

“For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60, vv.2–3 KJV)

If you have the chance to hear parts of Handel’s Messiah this Christmas, reflect on the meaning of the powerful words you are hearing.



Check out a little bit of background and the Bible References at this blog site by Haven Ministries.

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Previous post: Do you worship the babe in the manger?
Upcoming post: Noël, Jésus est né!

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Reflect:

1. Have you ever been to a concert of Handle’s Messiah or sang in the chorus? Did the words have any effect on you at the time?

2. Reflect a moment on how Jesus is light? He himself said in John 8:12 NLT “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

 

 

 

Do You Worship the Babe in the Manger?

Big Idea: Diane sang in church as a 6 year old, “Do you worship the babe in the manger?”

This advent Diane would like to reflect on Christmas songs that meant something special to her at different stages of life.

That curly haired little girl

Though I am an introvert, I willingly sang special music in church as a little girl. 

My mom coached me and played the piano. I memorized the song and she taught me to enunciate the words clearly.


I recall at Christmas being decked in a velvet dress with curly hair. Surely I had pink sponge curlers put into my hair overnight as my hair was straight and thick.

Once after singing, an old man shook my little hand in his massive dry grip and pressed a nickel into mine.

“Never stop singing,” he whispered.

Heavy lyrics for a 6 year old

My mother liked this Christmas song she taught me. I still have it memorized. The song explains:

The Babe in the manger was God’s only Son,
Who came to the world to die.
The Babe in the manger could never have done
The work of His God on high.

The Babe left the manger and went to the Cross
To pay the wages of sin.
Your way of forgiveness is not by the Babe,
But the Christ who died for your sin. -W.S. and Mildred Dillion

It explains “the reason for the season.”

In my house Santa was a fun story but Jesus was the real thing. The story of Jesus’ love was significant to every part of our life.

At 6 years old I recall praying alone at my bedside one night to be forgiven for my sins, which a precocious six year old knows she has, and asked Him to be my Lord. I’ve never regretted it.

From glorious heaven to a humble place

My father liked Philippians 2:1-6 NLT which explains Jesus emptying Himself of His heavenly glory and becoming a helpless infant, to ultimately later in His life die for our sins on the cross; risen to glory again.

This passage illuminates one of my Dad’s favorite Christmas hymns, “Out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe, only His great eternal love made my Savior go.”

He gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:7-8 NLT

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Previous post: 3 Ways to show kindness this Thanksgiving

Next post: Handel's Messiah

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Reflect:

1. What would you say is “the reason for the season” of Christmas?

2. Can you see a connection between Christmas and Easter? Explain how you perceive it.