I have to admit…I love Christmas music. As I write this post, I’m listening to Sufjan Stevens’ “Songs for Christmas.” I really enjoying his unique take on the music of the season. Soaking in these lyrics makes me wonder how Christmas music gets such a bad rap from some folks.

“Joy to the World,” one of my favorites, is based on Psalm 98 of the Hebrew Scriptures and proclaims, “No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessing flow.” 

And take a look at some of these amazing lines:

“Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.” (O Come, O Come Emanuel)

“The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger, in all our trials born to be our friend.” (O Holy Night)

“God is not dead nor doth He sleep!” (I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day)

“Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing…” (Oh Come, All Ye Faithful)

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. These are some of the most God-centered songs around and they take me to a place of worship that is unique from any other time of the year. They speak of that period of human history when God chose to step into the world in the form of a human being. They proclaim the beginning of that time when God lived among us, as one of us, out of love for all of us. If that does not cause one to be humbled to the point of worship then I don’t know what will.

This is an amazing time of year. A time when we can celebrate the joy of the season. Certainly we celebrate the joy of being with family and spending time with loved ones, but it is also a time with potential for the entire world to celebrate:

“Then let us all with one accord 
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord; 
That hath made heaven and earth of naught, 
And with his blood mankind hath bought.” (The First Noel)