Here We Come a Caroling

I've been thinking a lot about Christmas music lately.  I was going to do a series of my top 25 favorite Christmas songs, but realized, I really don't have 25 songs I like enough to write entire blog posts about, so I'll just do one at a time until I'm bored with it.

And, I'll start with my favorite, so you know from the start it's all downhill from here.

My very most favorite Christmas song, the one I have about 50 jillion different recordings of is ... (drum roll please) ... O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Yes, it's rather sad sounding, I know.  And, it's kind of hard to sing, I'm aware.  And, I love it.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

I'm a firm believer that the good news isn't good news until you know just how bad the bad news really is, so the somber, melancholy tones of this song express beautifully the longing for God with us ... the dreariness of a world waiting in desperate need of a Savior.  And, the joy of a well-placed hope.

Rejoice! Rejoice!  Emmanuel
Shall Come to Thee, O Israel

And hope does not disappoint us for God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit ... Romans 5:5