Daily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Monday, December 25, Morning
By Rev. Catherine Nance, Senior Pastor
Therefore! Ideo!
Read: Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
On this day earth shall ring
with the song children sing to the Lord,
Christ our King, born on earth to save us;
him the Father gave us.
Ideo, gloria in excelsis!
Today is Christmas! Today! This day!
When Jane Joseph translated the 16th century text, “On this day, earth shall ring,” she kept the Latin for the refrain. We sing Ideo instead of, therefore. And because Gustav Holst arranged this melody there is a wonderful, percussive, Ideo-o- o! Ideo-o-o! Ideo! There is a lot of music and movement for this preposition. What a powerful word! THEREFORE! It causes us to look back at what has just happened and know that the event impacts the future.
On this day, may we each know that God has come to us and goes with us into tomorrow and the next days and forever. Because of the Good News of Christmas, I can say, Ideo! And look with hope and joy into the future.
Therefore! Ideo!
Prayer
Loving God, on this day, may our voices join with children’s voices around the world! You have gifted us with your Love, Joy and Peace. May we profess those gifts in our living. May every thought, word and action, be motivated by “therefore.” Amen.
