As a teenager I can remember each summer going to church camp in the New Mexico mountains at Camp Blue Haven. Just outside Las Vegas, New Mexico, we usually attended one of the two-week sessions which meant lots of daily Bible classes, nightly singing and devotionals and a day long hike up Hermit’s Peak on Saturday. But the extra week also gave us more opportunities for other daily activities; Sadie Hawkins Day, Hawaiian Day, Twins Day and in the middle of the summer, Christmas in July.
That last activity (Christmas in July) was the inspiration for me to share this YouTube link in the middle of our summer. Perhaps you have heard it before but I assure you, it’s worth listening to again… The Christmas Scale
Considering the message from this short 3-minute video, most likely you will recognize the song by the fourth note. And to be honest you recognize it by the music itself. But what makes this scale ‘the best news’ will never be found in the music alone. What makes it the best (good) news in the world is found in the words SUNG by these eight, short notes.
Perhaps this is why when we sing to God, we sing A Capella (only our voices.) Rather than using the guitar, the drums, the piano or organ we sing with our voices to establish a message as well as an emotion. Paul understood that when he said, “…I will sing with the spirit (worship in spirit and in truth) and I will sing with the mind also (thinking, understanding what I sing).” The notes will certainly help us recognize a song and give emotion for our message, but playing music without the words leaves you lacking a message. Unfortunately it seems today we focus more on the emotion rather than the message.
The simple 8-note scale (which you no doubt recognize) does provide a wonderful message, but understand that without the words…it’s just a series of notes on a scale.
usually attended one of the two-week sessions which meant lots of daily Bible classes, nightly singing and devotionals and a day long hike up Hermit’s Peak on Saturday. But the extra week also gave us more opportunities for other daily activities; Sadie Hawkins Day, Hawaiian Day, Twins Day and in the middle of the summer, Christmas in July.