Christmas Echoes

 Christmas Echoes (Repeat The Sounding Joy)

 

The song from all creation
Of mysteries for words; too deep,
Sung from every voice of nature
Summoning Adam from his sleep,

The song from birthless eternity
The splendours of his joy
Were hid from mankind, from then, till now,
Until the arrival of this boy,

Held from our ears, until we sing it,
Until at last we see this Christmas boy
The song that has been always waiting
For loosened tongues to employ,

The Angels singing with exaltation
Glory to the Lord on high
They cannot contain their joy this moment
As we listen, our very ancient essence sighs

Sighs to sing the song of ancients
The source of life, within this boy,
Can you feel the tug of heaven,
To repeat the sounding joy?

We simply open our unstopped mouths
Our hearts with wild and wide-eyed abandon, gaze,
And out spill all our adorations
To the secret spirit's longing,
Hidden yearning, throughout all our days,

Listen closely, can you hear the melody,
From celestial beings rise
A pitch beyond natural hearing,
But if you're still and close your eyes,

You can hear it

The song resounds in supernova
The vibrations from atom's mysterious chant
All creation somehow declares it
And yet, at times, somehow we can't,

But the wonders on display at Christmas
Wrapped up, exposed, in baby boy,
Calls to us with the choir of Angels
To repeat
The sounding Joy,

All life should be a tuning in
To natures song, to Angels ploy
To get us in the heavenly choir,
each day to repeat
The sounding joy.

And repeat
The sounding joy

And repeat
The sounding Joy

The echoes of
Resounding joy

Reflection: Thin Places and Full Choirs

The ancient Celtic Christians believed in thin places. This referred to when the Spiritual atmosphere of a location made it easy to connect with God, almost as though there is no barrier between heaven and earth. We might refer to such a place as a Spiritual portal, or an ancient well. This idea seems to incorporate geographic locations. A very recent example could be the Revival at Asbury Seminary which has seen multiple revivals break out (However we define revival, I'm not sure). I am sure however that wherever the Spirit breaks out, we could deem that as a thin place.

This concept was not yet on my radar when, as an 18 year old recently 'returned to the fold', the Baptist church building that our fellowship shared (oddly enough with the local Baptist church) one Sunday morning was filled with the sounds of angels harmonising with our singing. I thought I had been imagining it, or that it was a spiritual gift in the form of some personal revelation, but on talking to others later I discovered that many people had become aware of it. The worship had been particularly rapturous that morning, and it felt to me like we'd been transported to heaven, or heaven to us!

It's strange that this poem should have been the one lined up for today, because last night my Father was relaying his experiences at a carol service this weekend where a similar thing occurred.

This poem was written around the concept that there is an eternal song of praise to God, an angelic song, and we have been invited to 'join with the angels' in singing it.  In my experience as a teen, the angels seemed to join with us, but here, we are joining with them in singing the eternal song. I am informed that noise doesn't stop but the vibrations just keep moving on forever. There is a praise that goes on forever about us, with or without us. Remember in that moment when Jesus was told to silence the crowds as they cried "Hosanna". He told those detractors, 'I tell you, if they were silent, even the rocks would cry out'.

Whenever we cry out in praise, we are joining the eternal song. Worshiping at the eternal throne. And if it's a broken hallelujah, or a victorious and jubilant shout, you are not alone. The Company of heaven is with you.

~Scripture~

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

    and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

    and with your blood you purchased for God

    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

 

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

    and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

    be praise and honor and glory and power,

                                                            for ever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

~Revelation 5:6-14~