Christmas Carol Countdown | No.16 – Silent Night

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Published: Saturday, 10 December 2022 10:00

Today’s devotional is by Andrea Grattan

“Have you ever stood outside gazing up at the stars on a clear, crisp night, when all around is still and the stars are shining brightly as they light up the midnight blue sky? There is something very peaceful about the stillness and beauty of a silent night.

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Christmas Carol Countdown | No.17 – Ding Dong, Merrily on High!

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Published: Friday, 09 December 2022 10:00

Today’s devotional is by Becky Watson

“Possibly one of the most joyful carols to sing, ‘Ding Dong, Merrily on High!’ mimics the sounds and rhythm of tolling bells. The message of the song is simple – praise the Lord!

‘Gloria, hosannah in excelsis!’ rounds off each verse. Today, we might say, “Highest glory and praise!” The song encourages everyone to praise God, to do all we can to praise Him. In our actions and in our singing, we should praise God.

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Christmas Carol Countdown | No.18 – The Holly and the Ivy

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Published: Thursday, 08 December 2022 12:32

Today’s devotional is by Matthew Winning

“I’ve always liked the music of ‘The Holly and the Ivy’. The jolly tune with its bouncy quavers and repeated melodic jumps was always nostalgic of past Christmases for me. Although, to my shame, I never listened to the words of the carol intently… not past the first verse anyway. My excuse was that, since this wasn’t the sort of carol you’d sing together at church, it’s easy to miss some of the details in the lyrics. I thought ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ was mostly about the colourful decorations we put up in our houses on the countdown to Christmas day, the nature and the leaping deer and the music, rather than having any real substance like ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ or ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’. To be truthful, I missed most of the references to sin and redemption, and the imagery of Jesus and His life and death.

Read more: Christmas Carol Countdown | No.18 – The Holly and the Ivy

Christmas Carol Countdown | No.19 – While Shepherds Watched

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Published: Wednesday, 07 December 2022 10:00

Christmas Carol Countdown | No.19 – While Shepherds Watched

Today’s devotional is by Alan Dourish

“‘While Shepherds Watched’ is arguably one of the best known Christmas carols, sung – sometimes well but often with questionable melody - in countless carol services, school nativities, television shows etc. The words spring into your mind as soon as the first line is played, as does the image of a few simple shepherds watching over their sheep outside Bethlehem. 

Read more: Christmas Carol Countdown | No.19 – While Shepherds Watched