What the Heck is Hark?
Wait, don’t go. This is not a sappy blog about a Christmas carol called Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, but a challenge for you to think differently about your life.
The word hark means to pay attention to or listen. A herald is an official messenger bringing news. I am not an angel messenger, but I believe I have an important message if you will give me four minutes.
I want to share five biblical truths contained in these lyrics: Hark! The herald angels sing. “Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled.”
Let me start with, that looking forward to Christmas is not for the faint-hearted. In fact, many do not look to Christmas with any kind of happy anticipation. Some do not have money to buy their kid the toy they have saved the ad for on their tablet. Some do not have money for a tree, or a home to put one in. For some, Christmas weekend will not be “your” weekend with the kids. Many are not speaking to family members. Others have attended funerals for all their family members. In short, Christmas sucks.
There is a great deal of sorrow on earth, there always has been. There certainly was the night God sent an army of thousands of angels to an Isreali pasture to tell shepherds He had sent His Son to earth. (Luke 2:13) This newborn King would grow in sinless perfection, and endure a cruel death on a cross to pay the sacrifice needed to put us in right relationship with God. (John 3:16) At the moment we trust in Christ’s substitution (reconcile) for our punishment, God in the form of the Holy Spirit comes to live in our lives. (John 16:13)
God’s mercy is shown by His forgiveness of our sin, His patience with our continued bad choices, His kindness to listen to our prayer of repentance, and His eternal, unconditional love.
No matter what dysfunction or disappointment is causing you to dread these days leading to Christmas, you can know peace. (John 17:33) The secret is don’t look to people to please you. Don’t listen to the negative voices in your mind repeating those hateful phrases from others who said you were worthless, stupid, dirty, or incapable of change. Listen to the message of the angels.
There is a King of Glory that came to make your life completely new. He left His Spirit behind to give you all the help and healing you need to anticipate Christmas as the birthday of your wonderful Savior. You will not understand what I mean until you make the decision yourself to accept Christ’s death on the cross and His rising from the dead as your personal eternal promise from God.
Choosing Jesus may not get you a winning lottery ticket, a phone call from your abuser asking for forgiveness, or a sack of toys on the porch from the local fire department…but it could. God loves to work miracles and answers our prayers in ways we never dreamed.
Trust God for your next minute of life and see if He will intervene with something you desperately need. And if He doesn’t, don’t doubt your decision to follow His teaching. He knows the whole picture of our lives and what is best for us. Trust in His complete, earnest love for you. He cherishes you. You have great value and worth. Nothing will change these truths. (Romans 8:38,39)
Find a Bible and begin reading in the book of John and then Romans. Pray for God’s help to understand the words. Call a Christian you know and ask them to help you learn more. The Holy Spirit will take it from there.
Listen! God has a great plan for you!
God bless you friend. If you decided to follow Jesus, I would love to receive an email from you telling me your story. And, Merry Christmas.