Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

By Cheri Cowell –

At the end of the popular TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, which has aired during every Christmas season since 1965, the Peanuts characters all sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

Prolific hymn writer Charles Wesley, who helped his brother John begin the Methodist Church, wrote the original words to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” in 1739. The first two lines were: “Hark, how the welkin [an old English word for heaven] rings/Glory to the king of kings.” But in 1753, Wesley’s friend and co-worker George Whitfield changed those lines to the ones we know today: “Hark! The herald angels sing/glory to the newborn king.”

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” tells the story of the event recorded in the Book of Luke—that after Jesus Christ was born an angel appeared in the sky to announce Christ’s birth and shortly thereafter were joined by a huge chorus of angels singing out praises.

PRAYER: Lord, give me the courage this Christmas season to sing aloud Your praises, to join the triumph of the skies and sing glory to the newborn King in both words and deeds.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:13-14 NIV).

God is Watching Over You

By Cheri Cowell –

A little song I learned as a child gave me great comfort then as well as later when life got difficult. Today I understand how powerful this promise is for those of us who see God as loving and tender. However, for those who fear God and see Him as judging and condemning this promise may produce feelings of apprehension. But this Psalm, which is where that children’s song comes from, tells us that God uses armies of angels to watch over His children with love and compassion. It assures us He will protect us, hear our prayers, and give us salvation—an act of mercy and grace.

The Bible tells us in many places that God often works His will through His spiritual attendants. However, these angels are never acting on their own, as today’s angel theology often teaches. God’s angels are always at the call and command of God and they would be the first to insist they are not to be worshipped or prayed to. They bow at the feel of the Holy One and that Holy One alone. We ought to do no less.

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation” (Psalm 91:11-16 NRSV).

PRAYER: If you know the children’s song, sing with joy today: G-o-d is watching over me, watching over me, watching over me. G-o-d is watching over me, watching over me today.

Pardon Me

By Cheri Cowell –

The other day I ran across these idioms for the phrase “pardon me.”

Pardon me, what did you say your name was?

I beg your pardon! I didn’t see your foot there!

Pardon me; does this train go to Oakland?

Pardon me, but I think you’ve got it backwards.

In each of these, the word pardon means, “excuse me.” In some of them you can hear the sarcasm dripping from the words. In some you can hear the formality and see the raised chin as the person speaking looks down upon you.

Isaiah used the word pardon when he spoke of God’s willingness to excuse. If you listen, you can also hear the meaning behind the words. Some translations render the word pardon as forgive, but it is the word before pardon or forgive that adds the context and meaning. That word is freely, abundantly, or lavishly. When you and I give up our way and accept God’s, our God doesn’t simply excuse us, nor does He only forgive or pardon (although that is a big deal). No, our God freely excuses, abundantly pardons, and lavishly forgives.

Do you hear the love behind those words?

“Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NIV).

PRAYER: God, thank You for freely excusing, abundantly pardoning, and lavishly forgiving me. Help me hear the real love behind these words today.

The Twist

By Cheri Cowell –

Call it good parenting. Call it bribery. But all of us have done it.

We have several more errands to run and the children are getting restless. So, we offer to take them to the park, stop for Happy Meals, or allow them to choose the movie that night “if they will help get these last few errands done.”

If you will…then I will… God uses this same parenting technique with us, but His comes with a twist.

Today’s passage is often quoted to make the point that God set up this “if you will do this” (humble yourselves and turn from evil) then God will forgive and heal the land.

Some say that because we have not humbled ourselves and have turned from evil, God is withholding His forgiveness and blessing. What this explanation leaves out is that throughout history we’ve repeatedly not held up our end of the bargain, and yet, God still sent Jesus.

Jesus is the twist. He rewrites this parenting technique to say, even if you don’t, I will still forgive and shower you with blessings.

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).

Prayer: God, You are to be praised for being the ultimate parent who, although maintaining the “if you will” goal, steps in with a twist—the twist of grace. Help me see Your grace as reason to fulfill my end of the bargain.

Leftovers

By Cheri Cowell –

Today’s restaurant portions are so big I almost feel like I should order the to-go box when I order the food. This is not a problem for me because I love leftovers. It is so convenient the next day to just grab it and go. Even if there is a little bit from this dish and a little from that one I can usually make a meal of it.

How often do we do this with our resources for God? I have to admit that I can easily fall into this trap. I’m not talking about church things; rather I’m talking about the time we spend growing our personal relationship with Him. It is tempting to give God my leftovers after I’ve spent my most valued time on other things. I’m really good at taking a little bit here, adding a little bit there, and passing this off as a whole meal with God. However, God doesn’t want my leftovers no matter how good I am at dressing them up. He doesn’t want yours either.
“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 1:6-8 NIV).

Malachi was a prophet called to preach to the Israelites. Here he is accusing them of just going through the motions without joy from a heart filled with adoration. Verses 6–8 refer to the requirement of a perfect animal to be sacrificed, which in the New Testament becomes Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice. We now know that our lives are to be our sacrifice, and therefore, should be the best we have to give. How are you doing in giving your best to God?

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for Your gift of the perfect sacrifice, Your perfect Son. Help me discover new ways to give You the best sacrifices of my time this week.

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