Description
Hark, the herald-angels sing – a Christmas Meditation.
Use these thoughts to introduce the hymn and reach back to the meaning behind the words and the wonder of which they speak.
From Inextinguishable Blaze - Click Here
Extract:
Hark, the herald-angels sing - a Christmas Meditation - by Andrew Pratt from Inextinguishable Blaze, (Andrew Pratt, Inspire) available from the author or Twelve Baskets
God cares for each one of us completely, totally, forever
How can we sum up this most wonderful belief, that God cares for each one of us completely, totally, forever? How can we communicate our wonder that God in Jesus was willing to die rather than to deny that love to any human being, even those who had nailed him to a cross? How can we give expression to the sense of peace and hope and love with which we want to respond at the high points in our faith when we feel utterly loved by God and at one with the world and our neighbours?
Charles Wesley wrote:
Hark, how all the welkin rings,
'Glory to the King of kings;
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!'
The words sound strange but they sum up that overwhelming sense of wonder love and praise which we've been stumbling towards. The word 'welkin' meant 'the heavens' and Wesley imagines that all the songs of earth are not enough to give expression to the amazement that he feels. This is the peak of all the faith he has ever felt.
Continues ...
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, www.stainer.co.uk.
Please include any reproduction for local church and school use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.