There are some magnificent hymns written around the birth of Yahshua, wonderful poetry set to beautiful music, and yet we seem limited to singing them in December; reluctant to use them at other times because they have become ‘Christmas carols’. What a shame! One of my childhood favourites, however, makes no sense at all. The tune is so hauntingly melancholy and the poetry so evocative, I loved it.
“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.
Snow was falling, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.”
Christina Rossetti
It was years before I began to wonder how this picture equated with the shepherds watching their flocks by night ‘all seated on the ground’. Years before, I came to understand that Yahshua was not born on December 25th.
Have you ever wondered why millions of people who hardly ever enter a church, and others who declare themselves atheists, also ‘keep Christmas’? Or wondered why Christians, realising this, don’t pause to ponder and ask questions? It’s common knowledge in the 21st century that the season is rooted in paganism, so why do so many of us ‘buy’ into the fable? Is it just a harmless [albeit expensive] ‘bit of fun’, or is it a travesty?
Writing to the Corinthians, Paul asked, “What agreement has the temple of [Yahweh] with idols?” Going on to state that we, His people, are His Temple, Paul quoted Yahweh as he urged, “Come out from among them and be separate…Do not touch what is unclean” [2 Corinthians 6:16-17]. It can be hard to disentangle oneself from the world, can’t it? Even harder when we have young children and we’re afraid they will ‘miss out’ on something that is painted so charmingly in romantic, nostalgic pictures.
The scriptures lead us to understand that Yahweh overlooks the times when we do wrong because of ignorance, but once we realise the truth we should repent from the wrongdoing and [to quote the Amplified Bible] “change [our] minds for the better and heartily amend [our] ways” [Acts 17:30]!
May Yahweh bless, encourage and empower you!
Photo by jill111
https://pixabay.com/en/decorating-christmas-tree-santa-2999722/
The Living WordNew Audio Devotional
Click to see the whole passage:
1 Corinthians 15:19-20 NIV - If only for this life we have hope in - Bible Gateway
Rejoice, Rejoice, Oh Christian, Lift Up Your Voice And Sing Eternal Hallelujahs To [Yahshua the Messiah] The King! The Hope Of All Who Seek Him, The Help Of All Who Find, None Other Is So Loving, So Good And Kind.
Homer A. Rodeheaver
The Congregation Of Yahweh
Head Office (UK)
27A Carlton Road
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
United Kingdom
NG3 2DG
T: 0115 837 8083
E:
W: www.congyah.co.uk
Registered Charity No. 245132
© Copyright 2024 The Congregation Of Yahweh
