I make no secret of the fact that I am a great fan of Cliff Richard. One of the things he is famous for is his Christmas songs!
This year is no exception as he has re-recorded and released Mistletoe and Wine with the group Callabro. One of the lyrics in that song is “Christmas is love, Christmas is Peace, a time for hating and fighting to cease”. Christmas described as Love is what we want to explore today through another Christmas Cliff song that you might not have heard but was released in 2019. It was called the Miracle of Love and was co-written by Chris Eaten - the guy who wrote Saviour’s Day!
Read through the lyrics or listen to the song and as you do pray:
There's a story the greatest ever told
Of a baby born to bring us peace on Earth
And every Christmas we celebrate with joy
That silent night when love came to this world
What have we done with the light inside our hearts
When did we forget to follow the star
Christmas is more than carols in the snow
More than candles, cards and kisses underneath the mistletoe
It's a time to remember the message from above
Christmas is all about the miracle of love
Let's take a moment and look back upon the year
Before another season has gone by
Reminiscing by the open fire
Sharing memories of our favourite Christmas times
Let's open our eyes to the wonder of it all
And maybe we'll find that brand new miracle
Christmas is more than carols in the snow
More than candles, cards and kisses underneath the mistletoe
It's a time to remember the message from above
Christmas is all about the miracle of love
So pass it on, pass it on
Believing is a choice for everyone
The last few lines are a challenge to us. We must pass on this message of Jesus, the miracle of love. The message that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. The angels told the shepherds “Don’t be afraid I bring good news that will cause great joy for all people” - Luke 2v10. No one is left out in this story and the shepherds passed it on.
Further on in verse 17 it says:
“After seeing Jesus, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said and all who heard them were astonished”. The good news version said “Everyone was amazed”
So let us all pass it on like the shepherds, share your faith, invite people to church and reach out to show the miracle of love this Christmas.
Dear Jesus
We thank you for the greatest story ever told – the story of your birth, life, death and resurrection.
We pray for peace over the world, peace where there is fighting or trouble and peace in people's hearts.
We pray within all the celebrations this Christmas there is joy, help us find the light in our hearts and shine them for you and remember you, our Saviour, our newborn King, the miracle of love.
We thank you for the past year, for all the joys and challenges.
Help us see this season anew, we are expectant to hear from you and see you work mighty miracles.
Give us boldness and opportunities to pass the message of you, the miracle of love with others this Christmas and throughout 2022.
Amen
May this Christmas be a time of abundant blessings to you and your family so you too can “glorify and praise God for all you have heard and seen.”
On behalf of all the staff at the Congregational Federation have a joyful and peace filled Christmas and we look forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary with you in 2022.
Yvonne Campbell