Shirlee Abbott

Hark! How All the Welkin Rings

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Welkin?

According to Websters, welkin is “the vault of the sky, firmament,” or “celestial abode of God.” And when Charles Wesley penned the words of a now familiar carol, he wrote, Hark! How all the welkin rings, Glory to the King of kings.

Wesley’s colleague, George Whitefield, tweaked the first line and published the song. Wesley was furious—his carefully crafted verse was no longer biblically accurate.

Luke 2:13-14 (NIV)
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God…”

Saying, not singing.

Heavens rang. Absolutely. Angels sang. Maybe not.

Posted in Advent | Tagged Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, welkin | 2 Comments

Peaceful Night, Holy Night

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Peace isn’t the absence of noise.

Peace is the presence of God.

John 14:27 (ESV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled.

Posted in Advent | Tagged Advent, John 14:27, peace, Silent Night | 2 Comments

Silent Night, Sleepy Night

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Hush. Jesus is sleeping. For the first time. Ever.

Psalm 121:4 (NLT)
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

Posted in Advent | Tagged Advent, Psalm 121:4, Silent Night | 2 Comments

Wild, Silent Night

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

All is calm.

Seriously?

Joseph, looking for a place–any place!–to shelter his laboring wife. And then . . .

. . . a woman birthing a baby. In a barn.

Need I say more?

Posted in Advent | Tagged Advent, calm, Silent Night | 2 Comments

Holy Night, Indeed!

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Continuing our meditation on “Silent Night”–

Silent, holy night?

Consider John’s view of holy:

Revelation 4:5,8 (CEV)
Flashes of lightning and roars of thunder came out from the throne in the center of the circle. . . Day and night they never stopped singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”

I’m guessing that heaven was far from silent at the birth of the holy infant.

Posted in Advent | Tagged Advent, Revelation 4:5&*, Silent Night | 4 Comments

Not-So-Silent Night

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

It’s Advent. A season of preparation. A season of meditation. A season of serious thought.

I’m continuing with the theme of carols–those seasonal songs that play in the background everywhere. Words that float below our consciousness. My goal is to make you think about the words. To meditate. Seriously.

This week’s carol is that old favorite, Silent Night. Don’t get me wrong–I truly like this one. But, really!

Silent night?

With Bethlehem filled to over-flowing, a woman in labor and that sky-bursting angelic host? I don’t think so.

God and noise. Perfect together.

Posted in Advent | Tagged Advent, Silent Night | 2 Comments

O Come

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in other | Tagged Advent, God with us, O Come O Come Emmanuel | 2 Comments

God with Us

Posted on December 1, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

“It would be out of character for the Father
to call you to do something
then not help you accomplish it.
He always gets involved.”
Dr. Charles Stanley

God involved, God with us, Emmanuel.

Posted in other | Tagged Advent, God with us, O Come O Come Emmanuel | 4 Comments

Come, Emmanual

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Come, Emmanuel.

Come, God-with-us.

With all of us–all believers round the world.

Come, God-with-me.

With me.

Posted in other | Tagged Advent, O Come O Come Emmanuel | 2 Comments

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Shirlee Abbott

Come, sing your way through the Bible.

“O Come, Emmanuel.”

Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

“O Come, thou Rod of Jesse.”

Isaiah 11:1
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

“O Come, O Dayspring.”

Luke 1:78
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.

“O Come, Thou Key of David.”

Revelation 3:7
These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.

“O come, Adonai, Lord of might.”

Psalm 38:22
Make haste to help me, O Lord [Adonai] my salvation.

Posted in other | Tagged Advent, Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:78, O Come O Come Emmanuel, Psalm 28:22, Revelation 3:7 | Comments Off