Advent – Day 2
Dec 02 in Advent
Two stories, two songs portraying that the good news is for everyone. The first very pertinent to the season happened one Christmas eve during World War I, the soldiers had hoped they would be home by Christmas. German soldiers on one side and the British soldiers on the other and after a whole day of fighting, it says “British soldiers on the Western Front saw their German counterparts light and lift candles into the air. The German soldiers were exposed by the light, their weapons nowhere to be seen, and from their trenches came the sound of a Christmas carol whose melody was profoundly familiar to British ears. And so, as the Germans sang “Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!”, the British joined in; “Silent Night! Holy Night!”… In time, soldiers from both sides emerged from their defences and walked – unarmed – into no-mans land. There they sang, exchanged greetings and gifts, some even playing football, and took part in what has to be the most powerful Christmas ever.”
The story of the second song happened this year April 2015, in Indonesia where 8 convicted drug traffickers were brought before the firing squad. During their time in prison 7 of the 8 had become Christians, mainly due to Andrew Chan, one of the ‘Bali 9’ ringleaders, who had started a Church within the prison, a picture that you’re never too far from God’s grace. Before his death he wrote a message for his own eulogy, an extract of this said ‘ It’s funny in death there is always a lesson to learn. We learn that we don’t need to be old to die, nor do we need to have something wrong with us, but we learn that when it’s time to go, home has the kitchen sink ready … Treat each day as a diamond because each day is valuable and you can never buy it back. Spend it with the people you care for the most because you never know when we will say goodbye‘
As he lead the other 7 men to their death they sang ‘Amazing Grace’ and as they stood before the firing squad they sang ‘Ten thousand reasons (to bless the Lord)’ by Matt Redman, part of the words :
‘The sun comes up, It’s a new day dawning, It’s time to sing Your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,let me be singing when the evening comes … And on that day when my strength is failing the end draws near and my time has come, still my soul will sing Your praise unending. Ten thousand years and then forevermore.’
At the end the 8 were singing (like the prisoner on the cross to the side of Christ that said “remember me” Jesus replied “today you shall be with me in Paradise“) and in the words of Andrew Chan ‘My last moments here on earth I sang out hallelujah I ran the good race, I fought the good fight and came out a winner in God’s eyes.’ Its never too late!
God can reach the deepest recesses, he meets us where we are. It’s free grace, a second chance. Someone to take your hand, who walks alongside. A love that breaks down boundaries, values and does not discriminate on race or gender, class or language. It unites enemies, frees the captive and bears the yoke of the heaviest burden, giving hope for the future, eternal life!
I found a couple of locations where you can download both songs.
Ben Cantelon and Nick Herbert were commissioned to write a new chorus for the classic carol ‘Silent Night’in 2014 for the 100th anniversary of WWI.
https://www.weareworship.com/uk/songs/story-behind-the-song/silent-night/
https://www.premierchristianity.com/Blog/Matt-Redman-on-how-executed-prisoners-sang-10-000-Reasons