With Songs through Advent in 2022
It is so easy to forget why we celebrate Christmas. It’s not because of gifts or presents, shopping for good offers, holidays and free time, the food, yes not even family time. No, “Jesus is the reason for this season”. That might mean different things to us. For some of us, it is a miracle story in a country far far away from a really long time ago. Or maybe it is a historical event that changed our world forever. Or maybe it is the birth of God who became a man to save humanity. Well, for me it is all three. That’s why I thought of creating my personal playlist for this Christmas.
These songs shall help you to get thinking about Christmas from a different or new perspective and show you the beauty of Christmas. So for every day, from December 1st until the 25th, I have picked a song with a little reflection I wrote which can be integrated into your day-to-day life. Songs are a mix of non-Christian and Christian songs. Links to Spotify and YouTube for each song are below.
Enjoy your Advent and Merry Christmas!
How to use it: I recommend listening to the song first and then reading the reflection (again). All songs are linked and integrated into this Blog post. Or listen to the whole playlist with the links below. If you dont have a Spotify account YouTube is the easier optio
A complete playlist can be found on Spotify here (but you need to have a free account, will open in a new tap)
And on YouTube (with Song “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas” missing due to child mode in YouTube): here (will open in a new tap)
Please consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel here (will open in a new tap)
Day 1: O Come All Ye Faithful
“Oh come let us adore him, Christ, the Lord” - are we ready to come to a King? And let him in our lives? Maybe this advent is a good time to think about what drives us in life. Are we driven by Money, Fame, Popularity, and Security? Christmas shows us there is more to life than that.
Day 2: Little Drummer Boy
What gift can you give to someone who has everything? Christmas is a Birthday but what do you give God? Only ourselves, even when you can only be a little boy with a drum. God asks for you as a person.
Day 3: O Come, All You Unfaithful
Christmas is an invitation to come and see what God has done. This world and our lives are often a mess, and God offers everyone peace. Now and forever.
Day 4: I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
Sometimes we just have those crazy wishes. And who wouldn’t want a Hippo. Maybe there will be no gift this year for you. But Christmas is more than just gift-giving. What is it for you?
Day 5: Christmas Is All Around
What do you love about Christmas? As we get bombarded with ads for things we should buy for Christmas, maybe we can step back and enjoy Christmas for what it is.
Day 6: The Perfect Gift
Have we forgotten that Christmas is for us? Christmas is for us to get sorted out. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth”. Christmas is an offer to mend the relationship between us and God.
Day 7: Who Would Have Dreamed
It is kind of absurd to think that an all-mighty God who loves peace, would come to a world full of hate. Why? To save us by humbly paying the price for the mess we make. That’s the definition of love.
Day 8: The First Noel
A King of Israel? What does it have to do with me? Israel in the bible is the people who believe in God and not just a state. So Israel is a symbol for all those who accept Jesus as their personal saviour. (Not to be mistaken with the “State of Israel” today, as Jesus ‘nation is the church, not countries.)
Day 9: How Low Was Our Redeemer Brought
God knows how it feels to be human. He is not some distant God. No, he cares so much about us, that he lived among us. Amazing!
Day 10: What Child Is This
What Mary might have thought on that night Jesus was born? Well, she knew that he will even be saving her one day. How? That was probably still very unclear. Lucky for us we know it and celebrate it on easter.
Day 11: Silent Night
Well, it probably wasn’t as silent as we often imagine. Here in the Philippines, you still get a taste of it, as the cocks are crowing, and the dogs are barking as soon as a child is crying in the night.
Day 12: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Emmanuel = God with us is another name for Jesus. But does it still count for us? Yes, not only did he live on earth, but his holy spirit (= also God) is with us now, he actually will come back and then this world will be new and perfect.
Day 13: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
“Comfort and Joy” how many people in the world have neither of them? But when we draw comfort and joy from God who is never changing, always loving God, then even in the hardest of times we can find comfort and joy in him.
Day 14: Joy to the World
Christmas was the beginning of Jesus establishing his Kingdom. And we have still time to accept his invitation to his Kingdom, as it is the Church = all those who believe. That’s the joy of Christmas, and that’s why “heaven and nature sings”.
Day 15: Hark! The Angels Sing
Did you wonder what glory actually means? It’s honour, adoration and a sense of awe. Did you stop and wondered at God? Well, even the Shepard’s did 2000 years ago as the angels told them that Jesus is born. Advent is the time to think about it.
Day 16: Heart and Soul of Christmas
“No matter what the season brings, Jesus is the Reason.” Amid inflation, the cost-of-living rises, and all the rest. We need to remember Christmas is for us, Jesus is the present.
Day 17: O Holy Night
“Long lay the world in sin…”, but why did it change? Well in the night when Christ (= means the Savior) was born, God made it possible for us to come back to God. Because sin is simplified: the rejection of God.
Day 18: Heaven has Come to Us
What is your cause for hope? Hope can be powerful, but it needs to be drawn from the right source. God gives us certain hope which does not depend on this world and our circumstances, but on His deeds and promises alone. Not us but Him.
Day 19: Sing We the Song of Emmanuel
Just a few days to go. Are we ready to welcome Jesus (again)? Or does he maybe feel far away? Good that Christmas is not just a feeling, we actually can know Jesus and we can even follow his life in the Bible, even when we don’t feel like singing and dancing in our own lives.
Day 20: Gather´ Round, Ye Children, Come
“Gather around and listen”, Jesus called people to listen. He made them understand what the Old Testament has always predicted which came true in Him. Everyone can talk much, but Jesus showed in his life that he is God.
Day 21: Light Of The World
We need so much light in this dark world, but as humans, we seem to be unable to bring much light, rather it comes easily to bring darkness. But God brings light, yes, his goodness in this dark world.
Day 22: Savior in a Manger
That little Child in the manger, in a food bowl for animals, was so important that important people travelled far to see him. And a jealous king even wanted to kill him when he was a child. Maybe we need to pay more attention to him.
Day 23: Indiscriminate Act Of Kindness
When we let Jesus in our lives, our lives will change. It will make us look out for others because he looked out for us. That’s what drives Christians to serve others instead of themselves. Let’s remember that also as Christians.
Day 24: Today is the Savior’s Day
The world is tough, but he lights the way. Hope has arrived, what a joy it is for this world. Merry Christmas.
Day 25: Revival Anthem
Let’s not stop. As Christians, draw from that momentum of Christmas over the year. Jesus is the good news every day. Christmas is hope, let’s look hopeful in the next year, with God as the foundation.
P.S.: You might have noticed that many songs are from Sovereign Grace and Rend Collective. Those are my favourite bands, and I can only recommend them. They are theologically good and have great songs pointing us to God. (I can not speak about the other artist on the list, but the songs I choose are in my humble opinion very good). But even with that, always reflect on it yourself, and check if it is biblical. And keep in mind that Christians also disagree on things like Santa Claus.
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