Advent December 24th
Today’s CSLI devotional was appropriately based on the Hallelujah chorus in Handel’s Messiah. It is such an amazing piece of music and it is stunning to think it is almost 300 years old. Nearly three centuries of Christians have been blessed by this iconic and joyous refrain.
It is so familiar that it is used in satirical ways as well. A chronically messy teenage boy puts away his clean laundry without being asked. We can easily cue the "Hallelujah” chorus in response. It has become cartoonish in some ways. We should rejoice over trivial matters, but I wonder how Handel would feel about this use. I doubt he’d be thrilled. His aim wasn’t merely to write a beautiful piece of music but to make people better by engaging with the Light of the World.
In Making Room I quoted from Matthew 5:14-16:
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, we are also reminded that He told us that we are to reflect His Light to the world.
Digging Deeper:
Will you hear Silent Night tonight? Candlelight services are so beautiful, but this evening I’ll be thinking about how the heavenly hosts singing Alleluia is even more beautiful than Handel’s Hallelujah chorus.
How are you doing with shining your light before others?