The Weary World Rejoices

I was attending a church many years ago that did not sing many traditional Christmas songs throughout Advent. When I asked someone about it, they expressed that they wanted to wait to sing the songs celebrating Jesus’s birth until Christmas Day. I was confused. Why wouldn’t you want to sing “Joy to the World” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “Hark the Herald Angel Sings” as often as you can?

This year, I have started to understand the logic behind waiting. Advent is a season of waiting, much like labor, it is sometimes anxious, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes down right painful. After hundreds of years of silence from God and some lingering promises from prophets of long ago, we may start to forget, we may start to lose hope.

As I have been sitting in my own season of waiting, I don’t feel very cheery. Celebrating Christmas so far hasn’t been caroling and cookies and parties and anticipation. It doesn’t feel like “the most wonderful time of the year.” I haven’t wanted to “rejoice, rejoice.” I haven’t wanted to “go tell it on the mountain.” I haven’t wanted to “ring those bells.” If the Amie who couldn’t understand why we weren’t singing Joy to the World for thirty days straight saw me now, she might think I’m a bit of a Scrooge. Yet, I haven’t lost the Christmas spirit.

I have enjoyed this season on a new level. Slowing down, reflecting on promises and prophesies while reading through Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp with my girls, and sharing Communion with my family every Sunday for the past month have helped me appreciate Christmas even more. Now, more than ever, I can relate more to “the weary world” and wanting to “fall on my knees” than ever before.

I’ve begun to notice some Christmas songs are actually a bit of a lament and call for help wrapped into celebrating God’s promise fulfilled. The song that has been playing in my head during times of sorrow is “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant. This song, written from the perspective of Mary, paints such a clear picture of being confused, nervous, and unsure of the future…sound familiar?

Every time I listen to that song, I savor a few lyrics, feeling them deep in my heart, but my favorite part is this:

During this next week, I encourage you to slow down and listen for the prayers tucked into those familiar carols and songs. Seek out the laments and hear the hope. Ask for the Breath of Heaven to hold you together. I’m hoping that when we finally get to sing that “all our hopes and fears are met in Thee tonight,” we can understand on a new level what it feels like to have hope again. Praying that in all the uncertainty and stress of 2020, we can truly hear the weary world rejoicing.

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Need a playlist of Christmas songs that are both celebrating the joy of the season, but also acknowledging the struggles, all at the same time? Sometimes a familiar song sung by a different voice or done in a different arrangement than we are used to can open us to the deeper meaning of the song. Check it out below!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5VaBi1iAfQ7iBf1W2LgDap