By 
One of my favorite carols began to ring in my head the other day. Even though it was not Christmas, the chorus echoed over and over in my mind:
“Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.”
I love the gentle tune and the minor key it is sung in. It is such a perfect song for Christmas. The hymn is an old English carol written by an unknown author. No one knows the true date of the song. Some think it dates back as far as the 1500s. However, the first printed version was sometime around 1760, bearing the title “Tidings of Comfort and Joy”[1]. We know the carol today by the title “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”.
Religious music in the 15th century was typically somber and dark and written in Latin. Many song writers would create their own music outside the church in a desire for something more uplifting and cheerful. It was the popular Christian music of the day which became our beloved hymns and Christmas carols.
The first stanza of the carol begins:
“God rest ye merry, Gentlemen,
Let nothing ye dismay.”
Rest in old English meant “to keep or continue”. And merry, some say, meant “great, mighty, or strong”. The carol might be encouraging us not to be happy but strong. The word dismay is “a feeling of shock or distress caused by something unexpected”. Many times the unexpected interrupts our plans and our dreams of a peaceful, happy Christmas. What are we to do?
The song continues:
“Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day.
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray.”
The song writer is urging us to remember what Christmas is about. Our greatest need is to be saved from the power of sin and death; that’s why Christ came. But He has saved us from so much more.
Our hearts and our focus can go astray during the Christmas season. Whether it is the busyness or the heaviness of the holidays, we need the reminder Christ came in the flesh. In other words: He became human; He understands our predicament, our weakness, our need, our sorrow. He is able to save us from Satan’s powerful schemes to undo us. Satan’s desire is to weaken our faith, tempt us to be discouraged or to think God has forgotten us. Satan’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy; Jesus came to give us eternal life (John 10:10). “Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent” (John 17:3, NET).
Sometimes stepping back and remembering the bigger picture can help us regroup. God was always telling the Israelites to “remember”. He wanted them to remember the past, so they would trust Him in the present and for the future. Sometimes, in the midst of my distress I realize my hope has shifted away from God. My myopic vision and self-focus have blinded me to the Truth.
Hebrews 11:1, NET says, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. The rest of the chapter goes on to remind us of all those who lived their lives “by faith”, and shows us what that looked like for each of them. They were all looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland…yet none of them received all that God had promised (Heb 11:16,39, NLT). But they believed God and set their focus on God’s promises.
I don’t know about you, but it is when I am going through difficult and distressing things that I cry out to God and run to His Word. And every time my heart is strengthened and encouraged. I come away with a new focus, remembering who He is and that I am loved and not alone. That is when I experience the comfort and joy the chorus of the carol talks about.
It is interesting how comfort and joy go together. For me, when I take my sorrow or my distress to Jesus and allow Him to quiet my heart and remind me of the Truth, a deep joy and peace come and fill my soul. That is true comfort.
But lest this sound too simplistic, I want to remind all of us we are in a battle and our enemy is fierce! He loves to lull us to sleep, then suddenly attack. But we have mighty weapons at our disposal, the chief of which is God’s Word—the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).
I love the way the Message translates Ephesians 6:10-18:
God is strong, and he wants you strong. So, take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.
This Christmas I pray God gives you strength every day for whatever comes your way. I pray you take the time to run to His word, and allow the Holy Spirit to refocus your heart and mind on the Truth of who God is and come to know Him in a deeper way. And I wish you the comfort and joy that only Christ can give.
Merry Christmas
[1] https://www.scross.co.za/2018/12/god-rest-you-merry-gentlemen/, Last visited 11/20/24.
Kim Prothro
Kim fell in love with Jesus and studying God's word in the eighth grade. That eventually led to a dream of attending seminary which she did after her children were grown. She graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2013 with a Masters in Theology and was part of the original group of women who founded Womenary in 2008. She has been a past professor for Womenary and is currently the Director of Soul Care at Living Well Holistic Counseling and Wellness Center. Kim can be contacted at kim.prothro@gmail.com. 
