Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Twinkling lights, the smell of Christmas cookies, pine trees, Christmas carols playing softly. Peace.  Comfort.  Joy.

This is what Christmas is supposed to be about.  But some days its hard to feel the peace, there seems to be no comfort, no joy.  So how do we recapture the magic?  Because we can’t just snap our fingers and decide that everything is fine.  Maybe like me, you’ve recently had a painful reminder of hurt, or may be going through a tough time.  Maybe you feel alone.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Remember, Christ, our Saviour Was born on Christmas day To save us all from Satan's power When we were gone astray O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy Wouldn’t that be nice.  Nothing you dismay.  Nothing.  How could anyone say that?  If you notice the first line, the comma is after merry.  The Old English meaning of this line is basically, Gentlemen, continue in being happy.  Continue being happy and be dismayed about nothing.  How is that possible?

Every carol that we’ve looked at together this month really comes down to the same message.

Jesus.

O tidings of comfort and joy.

Jesus - comfort and joy.

Because when you have Jesus, you have everything.  Jesus is your salvation, your hope, your best friend, your brother, your family, your comfort, your joy.

All you need is Jesus.

So enjoy all the wonderful things of the season, the lights, the cookies, the smells.  But if you need me to sing you tidings of comfort and joy, let me tell you about Jesus.  Only Jesus.  Always Jesus.

Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace; This holy tide of Christmas All other doth deface. O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy