Everywhere we go this time of year, we hear Christmas songs. Jingles about snow, reindeers, Christmas trees, and bells. Rocking around the tree or having a blue Christmas if someone’s not here.

Santa Claus is coming and will reward children who have been good. Kings traveled far with gifts for a baby in a manger. That baby lay cold on the hay with animals surrounding Him.

In these songs and carols, our culture delivers a Santa’s bag of mixed worldviews. A jumble of tales and truth, fantasy and faith, greed and generosity, waiting and wonder.

But listen! Intertwined in the season’s music, we can detect the gentle strains of the melody of grace.

The Gospel in Song

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”

“No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.”

These lyrics speak of sin’s curse that tainted the whole of creation and doomed humans to separation from God. They proclaim joy because God sent His Son to defeat sin and death.

“Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die”

Jesus laid aside His glory and humbled Himself to become a man, obey God the Father, and die on a cross (Phil. 2:8).

“Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth”

Jesus told Nicodemus we must be born again to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6).

The Perfect God-Man

“Silent night, holy night. Round yon virgin, mother and child.”

Born of a virgin, Jesus’ father was God. He did not inherit the sin nature of Adam. Therefore, He was the sinless God-man, the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for human sin against the holy God.

“Mary, did you know?” The baby you held was “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Heb. 1:3).

“O come let us adore Him.” Adoration belongs to God alone.

The message of Christ’s divinity can also be heard in “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate deity.”

Gifts and the Tree

Many Christmas songs speak of gifts around a tree. Like God, we give one another gifts of grace, gifts motivated by love.

“Let earth receive her King!” As believers, we celebrate God’s ultimate gift. Jesus came as a baby, died on the tree of Calvary, and rose again to glory forever (Eph. 1:19-21).

“God and sinners reconciled.” Through the cross, Jesus paid our sin debt in full, and the resurrection proved God accepted His sacrifice.

“It is finished,” Jesus said. We celebrate God’s free gift of eternal life for all who believe (John 3:16, 2 Cor. 5:21).

The Melody of Grace

It’s God’s amazing grace we celebrate at Christmas. The favor He gives us, His kindness we don’t deserve.

This Christmas, listen in the stores, during movies, and everywhere you hear the music of Christmas. Tune your ears to the strains of God’s love and grace permeating the season.

Train your children to listen to the words that are true, discern those that are false, and embrace the full meaning of Christmas.

Then as a family, let God’s grace flow through you to an unbelieving world. As we offer the tidings of great joy, we can become living strains of God’s melody of grace.

© 2021 Jeanne Dennis

Jeanne Dennis is the award-winning author of several books, including Annabella’s Crown, a parable to help children understand our relationship with the God who freely gives us His amazing grace. Visit her website here.

Be sure to sign up to receive updates of each new post on our Christian Children’s Authors blog. Follow us for new book news, free resources, parenting tips, and encouragement!

#Christianchildrensauthors #JeanneDennis #Christmasmusic