Four Christmas Songs That Make Me Cry

Well, I was listening to Christmas music the other day and just wanted to share some thoughts about some of my very favorite Christmas songs and why they are my favorites. What Christmas songs make you cry? Why? Here are some of mine:

Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson

Oh my goodness. I think this might be my favorite Christmas song. I picture "Noble Joseph by her side | Callused hands and weary eyes | There were no midwives to be found | In the streets of David's town | In the middle of the night | So he held her and he prayed | Shafts of moonlight on his face | But the baby in her womb | He was the maker of the moon | He was the Author of the faith | That could make the mountains move." This song really captures the reality of what it may have been like for Mary and Joseph… and the wonder of God being made man!

The Christmas Shoes by NewSong

I know some people think this song is cheesy or whatever, but it still gets me every time I hear it. Admit it—it makes you cry, too. To think of that little boy… his sweet innocence… and how he shouldn't lose his mom. Death is not part of the way things are supposed to be! Makes me long for the Day death is dead for good! (More about that Day below… read on)



Grown-Up Christmas List by various artists

Again, I know some people think this song is cheesy. That's fine. But, think about it. Doesn't it reflect something that is deep in every person's soul? Don't we all long for the Day when there is no more war, that no one would be lonely, that Right would win for good, and that love would abound? It's a longing for Heaven! God put that longing there! So this song makes me grateful and sad. Sad, because I know that there are so many in the world who long for Heaven and will not experience it because they will not allow Jesus to be Lord of their lives. Grateful, because it points me to my God who I know conquered the world and who WILL keep His promise to bring all who believe to that perfect new heavens & earth. Maranatha!



Here With Us by Joy Williams

Here, again, this song really captures the beauty, the wonder, the mystery, the so-above-anything-humans-could-have-come-up-with-ness of this idea that GOD ever would become a human being! And all this to rescue us. Amazing.

Seriously.

That this God who had "heard an angel symphony" would enter this world—to the sounds of a laboring virgin mother (I won't even get into the amazing paradox of those three words juxtaposed), the wailing of donkeys and bleating of sheep, the awed but very non-heavenly voices of the shepherds…

That this God whose eyes had beheld heaven since the beginning of time would enter this world—to the sight of a dirty stable and all that is imperfect about the world, including the angry, unbelieving crowd crying "Crucify him!"…

That the God whose hands created the world would enter into the world He made with tiny baby hands, and then work like a man with dirty, calloused carpenter hands, and then have those same hands nailed to a cross to rescue the very people who nailed Him there.

Think about it! That's crazy! … At least by any human calculation.

Even in the little things… and to think He never sinned! Think about it:


GOD being an infant—completely dependent on human parents for food, protection…

GOD fleeing with those parents to Egypt to escape Herod's wrath…

GOD patiently honoring her when His mother worried, blamed, gossiped...

GOD working hard with His hands, building things, dealing well with shrewd businesspeople…

GOD trusting the Father for provision as He began His public ministry, homeless…

GOD watching that rich young ruler walk away from eternal life—for money...

GOD patiently teaching the disciples when they were fearful, not trusting, and just plain old dense…

GOD actually touching that leper—the man all saw as untouchable...

GOD, who never before needed to sleep, closing His eyes each night to rest, weary...

GOD waking early to commune with His Father…

GOD seeing the Pharisees—who are among the people He came for—choosing to be the gods of their own lives, thank you very much…

GOD washing stinky, dusty, crusty feet…

GOD being abandoned by all those closest to Him in His final hour…

GOD enduring betrayal, beating, crucifixion…

GOD experiencing the separation from the Father that we deserve…


Emmanuel. God with us.


For our sakes.

O come, let us adore Him.

The World Overcome

We are so frequently misguided about God's plans. Day by day we measure our progress toward anticipated goals; we judge God's faithfulness and our performance by the proximity of the desired accomplishment. Is everything progressing as it should? Am I getting through this rough patch? Are my kids achieving? Am I paying down my debt? Is my boss finally appreciating me? And then the kids fail (again!); foreclosure looms; we discover that the boss not only doesn't appreciate us, but he's actually considering demoting us. Hold on! we think. This isn't what I signed up for. This isn't right. I've followed God. Where is he now that I really need him? What happened to all the plans we made together?

We suffer because we mistakenly believe that God's goals and our goals are identical. Into this confusion and sorrow, your Savior, who isn't insensible to your pain, speaks. "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). We think, The fact that I'm going to have tribulation is quite obvious, thank you. And, its nice that you've overcome the world (whatever that means), but how does that help me right now?

The gospel dispels darkness and confusion. It tells me about him, about myself. It tells me that I am in him, and because that's my identity, I can have peace when peace is beyond comprehension. But my experience of peace in tribulation also grows more brightly as I remind myself of the things he taught (John 16:33). He taught these truths so that I might have peace; they shatter my misguided illusions: my selfish ambition, even for his kingdom, is not his goal. Washing feet is. I believe that a pleasant existence free from tribulation will bring me happiness. He teaches that fullness of joy is found in divesting myself of pride and idolatrous desire for pleasure, respect, and comfort.

I think that I am wise and know what's best. His plan confound the wisdom of the wisest man and flay him in the dust. I deceive myself into believing that I deserve better than this. He gently reminds me that I deserve an eternity of excruciating flame eating at my soul and separation from his Son.

Peace begins to fill my soul when I remember the truth of the gospel: I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe, more loved and welcomed than I ever dared hope. I deserve less than nothing but have been given everything.

Jesus Christ has overcome the world. Although it seemed (and still seems) like night would eclipse the light, as though the "ruler of this world" would forever reign, the glorious radiance of the Son is seen with eyes of faith. Peace can flood outsold because our trust isn't misplaced. He has already overcome the world, and it will not triumph over him, and so, by implication, it will not triumph over us either because we are in union with him.

He resisted the temptation to prove his rightful place as Lord of the universe. He perfectly fulfilled every command of the law. He willingly laid down his life in our place and permanently threw open the doors of heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort and teach us. We're not alone; we're not orphans; he hasn't deserted us. And he has overcome the world through his conquest of our final enemy, death. The resurrection speaks powerfully into our lives when it seems as though the light is about to be extinguished. But this world isn't all there is. What we're seeing right now isn't the end. The one who said, "I have overcome the world," walked through the travail of Gethsemane. He was nailed to a tree, suffered, bled, and died. But then he rose again, breaking the bands of death, and walked with his disciples again. He had overcome! And now he is ruling and overruling at the seat of power by his Father's right hand, there in the flesh like mine and yours. Does it feel like night? Be of good cheer; morning will dawn. He has overcome the world.

From Comforts from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick