Merry Christmas, dear friends! Some of you have written to tell me you’re singing “O Holy Night” daily, even though it’s a challenging song to sing! You know, the Lord delights to hear us sing even if we don’t like how we sound. In Song of Solomon 2:14 (ESV), He says,
“Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet.”
He is your Father, the potter who sculpted you, an artist, shaping you as His workmanship (Is. 64:8; Eph. 2:10) and He “knew you before [He] formed you in the womb (Jer. 1:4 ESV). You may hate your voice, but the One who created it calls it “sweet.”
So, let’s interrupt our suffering this Christmas with “Oh, Holy Night!” Let’s sing with praise interruptions to Him, through beautiful Christmas hymns and songs as we exalt Christ, our reigning King of kings and Lord of lords! Dear friends, let’s fuel our trust in Jesus Christ as we glorify our Lord and Savior, by singing to Him in personal worship.
Who is Jesus this Christmas?
Jesus, You are King of kings
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
(O Holy Night, Cappeau, P., 1847. Trans. Dwight, J.S.)
Jesus Christ existed before all time as supreme King of kings and Lord of lords! Jesus Christ is God, the Son.
Jesus Christ rules over all of time, all leadership, all events and circumstances. One day, He will return and we will see Him as He is!
Can you imagine His extraordinary humility and love to be born as a human being into political chaos, initially resting in a smelly animal’s feeding trough, then drawing people to Himself as He wandered as a homeless man?
![[Jesus], though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7 ESV).
Jesus, You are our King and Friend this Christmas](https://i0.wp.com/laurihogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Phil-2-6-7.png?resize=750%2C750&ssl=1)
Jesus, You are our Friend, with us in our suffering
In all our trials born to be our Friend.
He knows our need — to our weakness is no stranger.
(O Holy Night, Cappeau, P., 1847. Trans. Dwight, J.S.)
He became fully man, while being fully God. Therefore, He knows our weaknesses, especially in trials. Trials tempt us to sin so easily. In my trials, I’m quickly tempted to despair, fear, discontentment, complaining, self-absorbed pride, and making my temporal life all about me. Just ask my incredibly patient husband of 33 years!
Jesus knows we are weak.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15 ESV).
Our sinless Savior took all our weak and sin-filled responses to this world’s trials and suffering upon Himself, taking the punishment we deserve for our sinful existence. He makes it possible for us to enter into the presence of God for all of eternity when we die.
When He brought us to Himself, we turned away from our sin and turned to Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. So now, He calls us forever friends (Jn. 15:15)! What a Friend we have in Jesus. I am so comforted by this loving promise to believers, His friends. He knows our thoughts, our hearts, our truest and deepest need for Himself. What incredible gifts of His grace and everlasting love this Christmas.
God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Ph 4:19 ESV).
Jesus, we praise You into suffering
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!
(O Holy Night, Cappeau, P., 1847. Trans. Dwight, J.S.)
This Christmas, I am struck by the contrast between my pride and His humility. I am overwhelmed by my tiny-ness and His glorious worth. My only appropriate response to Jesus, my Savior, is to behold Him and to “lowly bend” before Him to thank Him for His gift of grace.
Because of our weakness as humans who suffer in this sin-infested world, we desperately need Him. Are you feeling this desperate need today? Perhaps the suffering we are all experiencing this Christmas beckons us to realize our Friend has been with us and that He has allowed this suffering as mercy and grace so that we will realize our need for His help.
We become humbled instead of self-absorbed, self-sufficient, and self-controlling our lives. We bow the knee before Him and return to our Savior and find our needs met there. Oh, what comfort, what love, what grace! We are in a time of need, in need of Jesus, our King, and Friend this Christmas.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16 ESV).
Jesus, You are our King and Friend this Christmas
This Christmas, will you join me in beholding Jesus as King of kings and bowing before Him as your Lord and Savior and Friend? This week’s Christmas playlist gives you words to sing in prayer as you share your need with Him, exalt Him into all your suffering, and sing of your never-changing hope in Christ and the gospel.
If you would like this playlist, sign up here and it will come to your inbox. Please write me if you would like prayer – it would be my greatest delight to pray for you in your need, dear friend in Christ!
