NOEL
NOEL is a word born in England and France over 500 years ago, meaning “see what God has done!” It is a joyful expression of the excitement of Christ being born on this earth. The First Noel, a Christmas ballad, is one of the oldest ballads and expresses this exhilaration.
While Noel can be the “joy” word for many during the Christmas season, for others that joy is difficult. Yet, there is a theoretical premise that there is wisdom in training oneself to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. If this is true (and I believe it is), then there is good wisdom in putting on the party dress of joy. This is easy to do when all is well, but it is a severe challenge when all seems to be going wrong.
How can some people abound in joy, gratitude and peace in the midst of extreme difficulty? I believe these gracious people have trained themselves in three distinct actions:
- Living in the precious present–right here, right now.
- Loving God with all their heart, soul and mind–happy to fulfill the Lord’s High Calling for them.
- Doing their excellent best–what they can do with all they can for as long as they can.
Amazingly, these three actions set us free from self-pity and self-destruction. This is indeed why Christ came. NOEL, NOEL! BORN IS THE KING OF ISRAEL!
This is the first time Ari sang this song at The Fox Theatre in front of nearly 1400 people at the Oaks Classical Christian Music Event. Enjoy this song.
