Christmas Songs

Year 5-Day 331: Today...I am grateful Christmas songs help us be Word dwellers. 

Christmas songs are everywhere. My favorite radio station will be playing them all day until Christmas. New versions of traditional hymns, newer advent songs of praise and even some traditional favorites thrown into the mix. 

Christmas carols and songs help us to inhabit the Christmas spirit and dwell on the deeper meaning of the season. Christmas music helps us to dwell in the Word and the hope of Jesus. 

The word "dwell" as a verb means to live in a specific place or to think, speak or write at length about a topic. 

It is an interesting choice for Colossians 3:16 and the most popular for the majority of the English translations of the Bible... from the KJV to the NIV, ESV, NRSV and more. Keep in mind, Paul it was most likely in prison in Rome when he wrote his letters to the Colossians. His dwelling conditions were not his focus. What was dwelling in their hearts was his concern.

Look at this passage:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. -Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

Or another modern version that translates the idea of dwell as "fill your lives":
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. -Colossians 3:16 (NLT)

We could spend all day just digging into this verse. One way of living this verse during this season is to let the songs of Christmas fill our hearts and homes. Learn more than the first verse of favorite Christmas hymns. "Joy to the World" and "Hark The Herald Angel's Sing" are full of the message of hope born in a manger and destined to die in our place. 

We can flood our hearts and minds with reasons to give thanks this Christmas season when we embrace the songs of Christmas. 

Sing and savor the melodies and the lyrics that unwrap the wonder of it all. 

Today...I am grateful Christmas songs help us be Word dwellers.