Oh for a fall that would last forever… Or at least until spring could come. The last week has been pretty hard on the notion that maybe winter might skip us this year, and already the stores are filling their aisles with things of Christmas.
You have to admit were we to miss winter, we would skip over Christmas, and that would be a shame. What a wonderful time built into our year to draw us to reconcile the notion that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Although we haven’t even had Thanksgiving turkey yet, I thought it would be good to start thinking about Christmas music (and I know at least one Common Grounder has already dug her Christmas music out).
A new Christmas album I would highly recommend you add to your collection this year is the new album from Sovereign Grace Music called “Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus in Song.” If you enjoy hearing lyrics that allow you to ponder anew the birth of Christ this new album will not disappoint. For example, the following from “Who Would Have Dreamed” …
And who would have dreamed or ever foreseen
That we could hold God in our hands?
The Giver of Life is born in the night
Revealing God’s glorious plan
To save the world
These words try to capture the wonder of Micah 5:1-2, that a place like Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah.
Another thing that Sovereign Grace likes to do is keep their lyrics Gospel saturated. It means they sometimes add new content to familiar songs, like they did with this long-time standard, “O Holy Night.”
Come, then, to Him Who lies within the manger
With joyful shepherds, proclaim Him as Lord
Let not the Promised Son remain a stranger
In reverent worship, make Christ your Adored
Eternal life is theirs who will receive Him
With grace and peace, their lives He will adorn
Fall on your knees! Receive the Gift of heaven!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night when Christ was born!
For an interesting story on the history of this Christmas carol I recommend reading what Bob Kauflin, the Director of Sovereign Grace Music, has to say about how their new verses developed here.
From fresh ways of explaining the reality of the incarnation of Christ, to wonderful musical interpretations of Christmas carols many of us have grown up with, “Prepare Him Room” has quickly become a favorite of mine. I am looking forward to introducing at least a couple into our music at Common Ground this Christmas season.