a Message by Rev. Ron Mahler

JUST WHY IS THIS “THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME” OF THE YEAR??
A MESSAGE BY REV. RON MAHLER

It’s the most wonderful time of the year...it’s the hap-happiest season of all!!!! You hear that song played in many stores during the weeks leading up to Christmas And if you have ever paid close attention to the lyrics of that song – you find out that the songwriter really doesn’t give us the true reason why it is the “most wonderful time” of the year. The song talks about “gay, happy meetings...marsh-mellows for roasting...friends coming to call...” etc., and yet, these words, even though they reflect integral components of what it means to share the holidays with friends and family, ultimately, they fall short of the reason why this is the “happiest” season “of all.” It certainly is the most wonderful time of the year – and it is sad that often times the reason why it is so wonderful – is absent in many songs of the season that we hear – especially, in the more contemporary “holiday” songs. Christians, for over sixteen hundred years have celebrated the timeless rendering of the account of the first Christmas: the birth of Christ in Bethlehem (foretold in the Old Testament – and realized in the gospels of the New Testament).

It is the “most wonderful time” of the year – because we celebrate the Saviour of the world’s advent and humble birth on our planet - earth. God came to be with us – to be one of us – in order to redeem us. Steven Curtis Chapman captures perfectly, the awesome, elemental feature of the Christmas story in his song: “The Miracle Of Christmas” – when he sings, “And the God who spoke, still speaks. And the God who came, still comes. And the miracle that happened, still happens in the hearts of those who believe...” What beautiful words! I leave you with the words of one of, if not, the first Christmas song ever written and sung. It is often referred to in the Latin titling - as the “Magnificat.” Upon hearing of her blessed position as the channel of God’s blessing to His people, Mary sung out for joy - and her words grace the pages of Luke 1. They are really a form of Jewish psalm which is strikingly similar to the song attributed to Hannah in 1 Samuel 2. “And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour....His mercy extends to those who fear Him from generation to generation...” And God’s promise of salvation in His Son, Jesus, extends once again this Christmastime - to all - that those who believe may receive the true Reason for the season during this most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas to everyone at HLCC and abroad! May the greatest gift you receive this year – if you haven’t already – is God’s gift of His Son – Jesus Christ – the “Saving Messiah.”