Devotional-Sing A Song of Praise

“Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.” – Isaiah 12:5

Candle Song

There are several sounds, sights, and smells that characterize Advent and Christmas.  Christmas music stimulates the senses to remember the celebratory nature of the season. Whether it is sacred or secular, the music of the Christ-fest evokes joy and nostalgia along with warm feelings of love and peace.

Couple that with the sensual aromas of cinnamon, cookies, and greenery. The whole body starts to be engaged in the process along with the spirit. The invitation of music and smell becomes an invocation to sing unto the Lord.

We are reminded of the excellent things He has done which are known in all the earth.

They are indeed known in all the earth. There is something universal about the witness of Christmas, even among non-believers. There is a universal visual component to the celebration. It can be represented by the candles of Advent.

The Advent candle and wreath came into the culture of Christmas before the Middle Ages and was being observed by Catholics and Protestants by 1600. The candles remind us that light has come into the world in Jesus Christ.  He has come to dispel the darkness and radiate the truth.

There are four Advent candles. Each one represents a thousand years of the redemption story from the time of Adam and Eve to the birth of Jesus. In many churches and homes, three candles are purple and one is rose, but there are variations and no particular rules for how things are to be done. All Christmas candles grow out of the Advent candle tradition.

The lighting of the candles in a progressive manner symbolizes the expectation, hope, and growing anticipation of Jesus coming into the world as well as our anticipation of His second coming to bring history to a righteous completion.

In the middle of the wreath is yet another candle. It is white and it is the Christ candle, lit on Christmas Eve. It is the brightest of the lights. It is the culmination of all that has come before. It is the beginning of God’s redemptive climax to the history of salvation.

So, whenever you light a candle for the Christmas season, remember this. You are singing a song of praise to the Lord who has done excellent things and, as a witness, you are making Him known in all the earth.