DECEMBER 18 "DO YOU STILL HAVE A SONG TO SING THIS CHRISTMAS?"

"Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept…..we put away our harps." No problem right, they’re down in the dumps, it’s just not “good times” right now. However the most unlikely (or maybe not so unlikely) event occurs, the ungodly Babylonians want them to sing a song for them. One of the great songs about their God, that they are renowned for singing all over the existing world; at that time. Unfortunately, to the surprise of the Babylonians and maybe even to their own surprise, they reply “we have no song to sing”. In the most unlikely situations and times, when we least expect it, will we be asked, by those that we have been trying to reach, those that have been persecuting us, those that have rejected us in the past, now, in our worse moment, at a time when we are down, do they come to us and say, “sing us a song” and what do we say, “ get a way from me right now, I just want to be left alone; going through a rough time, I've hung my harp and I have nothing to sing about God right now”. The danger is, who knows if we will ever get this opportunity again and of course it comes to us at the worse of times. But isn't that life! When we are prepared, when we are on our God, when we are on our spiritual high horse and want to preach and sing to the world, nobody wants to listen, but then when we are down, someone knocks on our door, someone gives us a call or shows up at our church and we are not singing anymore! Do you still have a song to sing? Singing is unique to our faith, Christians do allot of singing. The birth of Christ was preceded with a Choir of Angels singing about the coming birth of Christ, “ Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God; Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased”. The celebration of Christ (Christ-mas) has always been with singing. As Israel is being reintroduced to their God; Jehovah brings a great deliverance for His people, Miriam, in a moment of spontaneity, picks up her tambourine and shouts, “let’s sing to our God!” One thing that is still good about Christmas is that every mall, every store for the next week or so, will be filled with music that is specific to celebrating Christmas. No doubt, some of the songs are a far cry from celebrating Christ (Grandma got run over by a reindeer) but yet, if you listen enough, you will find they still play some of the classics; and that’s a miracle in itself, especially in today’s politically, hyper- sensitive society, that we live in. Christmas can become annoying if you don’t have a song to sing anymore, as you cannot get-a-way from singing during Christmas. Has Christmas caught you at a bad time this year? Are people, that you would least expect, wanting a song from you this Christmas? Question is, “do you still have a song to sing or have you hung up your harp?”

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