O Holy Night

I love Christmas and Christmas music.

I haven't been able to say that the last seven years, however.

I'm sure it's because I've been doing worship ministry for the last seven years, and for a worship minister who leads worship in a modern rock-style (read: can't read music), it's a stressful time of the year. Trying to take these amazing Christmas hymns and songs and converting them into a format that isn't so traditional - and I know that some people like going back to traditional Christmas services, but the churches I was at, that's not what we were about - is hard work. It's demanding. And it's, let's be honest, humbling. I think one reason I haven't been excited at Christmas is because doing Christmas songs really separates those who know music from those who don't. And every year, I was on the "don't know music" side. Yeah, I'd always get encouraging comments, and I think that some of the arrangements that we did of certain songs were pretty cool and different, but it was the one time of the year where I felt I was back at school where the gifted and the "challenged" were separated from the normal kids - and in this case, I was in the challenged room.

But this year, since I have no worship ministry responsibilities, hearing Christmas music without thinking "Oh crap, how am I going to change that into a song that our worship band can do" is rather refreshing.

What in the world are you talking about Adam?

Well, here in the Dayton, OH area, there is a radio station that I think started playing Christmas music in August. Well, maybe not that far back, but close. I don't know if they're competing with another station to see who could be the first one to audaciously start playing Christmas music - kind of like back in Colorado, you had these two ski areas, Breckenridge and Loveland who were always trying to be the first one to open up their ski area - but it's awfully early. And I've been loving every minute of it.

My favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. I love the melody of it, I love the words, and even though Celine Dion sang it on her Christmas CD, I still love the song. It's even written by a guy whose last name is Adam. Hah! However, in most versions of this song, you only hear the first verse. The other day I was listening to that radio station, and they played a version that had the second verse (actually, according to Wikipedia, it's the third verse. Hmmm.). And it captivated me. This is what that verse says:

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Wow. What a thought during this Christmas season. As God has given me this passion to free child slaves and stop child trafficking, this little glimmer of hope in the midst of my favorite Christmas carol is amazing. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? That Immanuel, "God With Us" came near to break our chains of sin - so that we might do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him - by helping cease oppression and by helping our brothers and sisters who are enslaved?

I will never be able to hear this song again without being reminded of what God wants for all of us. Freedom.