Advent and Caroling

One Advent, while in seminary, I took the small Bible study group that met at my house up and down Route 17K caroling. I'm amazed at this memory. It was a group of college kids without much singing experience, but we managed to get everything together and venture out. The weather matched us, snowy and cold, and people received us graciously.

The truth is, at every house we went to the people were in tears. They smiled, laughed, got everyone in the house to listen, and told us that we were like angels. Two or three houses into our tour we came across a family whose father was in the last stages of cancer. He sat in his wheelchair by his sliding door with his hospice worker and family surrounding him. I was told a few weeks later, after he had died, that our visit was a groundbreaking blessing for him. I'm still humbled by the memory of his wife's voice that January as she thanked me and us. All we did was sing. All we did was sing songs about Christ and the hope He brings that nothing can take away.

PRAYER: Lord, even today, days from the end of this season, give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your hope and love. May I be an instrument of Advent and Your Gospel. Thank You for the power of simple songs praising You for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

TOMORROW: Advent and God