Psalm 96:1, 4, 13b

O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. … For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. … He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth. (NRSV)

Children’s voices have always been some of the most beautiful sounds on earth for me. And the descant that David Willcocks arranged for the young choristers of King’s College is an example, for me, of what it might be like to hear angels sing. Listening to this carol on repeat while preparing my devotional offering has been a Christmas blessing.

While looking at the history of this carol and the changes in the text from its original publication in 1684, the message that kept coming to me was:  after our sin, our grief, our affliction … comes joy. God became flesh—God with us in our humanity, making it possible for us to be reconciled to our Creator. Jesus’ birth was cause for great celebration! “All out of darkness, we have light, which made the angels sing this night.”

What a beautiful reminder for me this season. Because of Jesus, my present and my future are safe in God’s loving care. Even when life and circumstance seem bleak or dark, I am assured that there will be light.

Contributed by Pamela Gilbreath