This feast marks no progress in the development of the Church year. It merely embellishes the occasion just observed when the Child received the Name Jesus as had been foretold by the angel. The feast is meant to impress on us Christians the dignity of the Holy Name. It is a relatively new feast, stemming out of devotional piety. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to find in it some liturgical or ancient Christian dogma. What did a name signify originally? The name should express the nature of a thing. Thus Adam in paradise gave the animals names in accordance with their being. Among the Jews God's name expressed His essence, Yahweh, i.e., I (alone) am who am (and cause all else to be). The Jews had the highest respect for the name of God, a reverence that finds continuation in the Our Father: "Hallowed be Thy Name."
Yes, sing! Sing joyfully. Sing joy, fully. God has done wonderful things in the past year—things we will know completely only when we are with him in heaven. Still, we can sing joyfully because we know he is all-good, all the time. He is all-wise and all-loving. Even though we don’t always see what he is doing, we know it is good and loving and wise. So sing! Sing thankfully, boldly, with all the praise and joy you can muster.
Sing joyfully about what you hope and expect him to do this new year. God has plans for your life. No matter what age you are, it’s never too late for the good things he has in store for you. Ask him for a new song—a word, or phrase, or Scripture passage, or even a real song—to give you direction for the year. He is the Good Shepherd, who loves and leads you. He will guide you in the paths he has planned for you and give you a new song to sing along the way.
Sing aloud, yes, but don’t limit yourself to what your voice can do. Sing with your pen. Write down what you want to praise the Lord for. Jot down your hopes, dreams, desires for this year. Sing with your paint brush—paint your praise, joy, and thanksgiving. Sing with your musical instrument or your feet. Dance, as David did before the ark of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:5,16). We are wonderfully made, so we can praise the Lord in song or with any of the other talents he has given us.
What do you love to do? Do it intentionally today, as a way to express your joy, praise, and awe of the Lord. As you begin, tell the Lord, “This is for you, God!” And “Beloved, we are God’s children!” —1 John 3:2 if you find it too difficult, ask the Holy Spirit to put a new song in your heart. Ask him for a song that is not there now, one that perhaps has never been there. You are created to sing before the Lord. Be expectant. He will teach you what to do and how to do it!
“Father, you are wonderful and loving and kind. Fill me with a new song today, a song of joy and hope.”
1 John 2:29–3:6; John 1:29-34