Remember Christ the Savior was born on Christmas day

It's amazing how we can learn to ignore the things which surround us,
especially when we who are adults are constantly dealing with the demands of
life. We often reach a point that much of what goes on around us is just
blocked out. A few years ago we lived about one block from a train track.
For the first few weeks we lived there we heard the train constantly, it
would even wake us from our sleep at night. However after a relatively short
time we learned to ignore the noise, some how we just blocked it out.
Sometimes when people would visit and a train would pass they would ask how
we could stand that noise. We of course never even noticed the trains
passing.

I was reminded of this when our daughter-in-law shared this recent event
with us. It seems that "Bing Crosby was on the radio crooning out: 'Remember
Christ the Savior was born on Christmas day.' Upon hearing this song our 4
year old granddaughter Allison exclaimed excitedly: 'They're talking about
Jesus!!'"

How many times have you heard that song (especially this time of the year)
and not consciously though about the meaning? I know this is a problem in
other areas of life also, but what about when you sing a hymn in a church
setting? How often do you just sing the words from memory and not really
contemplate the meaning?

The apostle Paul giving instructions to the church in Corinth wrote, "I will
sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also," (1
Corinthians 14:15 KJV). That seems to say that it is important how we listen
as well as how we sing.

Singing is a very important part of our Christian life and fellowship. Paul
writes about this in Ephesians 5:19-20 where he says, "Speak to one another
with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to
the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Our singing is in part speaking: "to one another," (this is group
participation, exhortation and encouragement), as well as "to the Lord," (it
is worship). He also says that the music is made "in your heart," (it is a
personal involvement coupled with understanding).

So, the next time you join with the church, don't just sit there and be
entertained. Participate in the worship of our Lord, encourage and exhort
one another and stop and think about what you are doing or singing. After
all, if a 4 year old can recognize that songs sometimes talk about Jesus,
shouldn't we? Do you hear what I hear?

--Russ Lawson