Always the same...

“They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” - Revelation  15:3-4

There is George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah", composed in 1741 and then there is "The Young Messiah" originally entitled "Messiah XXI", produced and arranged by Frank McNamara in 1999. They present one great message through two different types of music. The underlying basis for the oratorio remained the same over 258 years. Time changes the way we express ourselves musically, but time will never change the One who is "the same yesterday and today and forever". (Hebrews 13:8)

One song was sung; the song of Moses and the Lamb. The truth of God's great and marvelous deeds was proclaimed thousands of years ago and will be thousands of years from now. God never changes, and for that reason all the nations will eventually come and worship before him. Time, with all its changes and all the differences of generations will come together in one song of praise. Does it matter what musical arrangement is chosen? One tune or the other, we will eternally worship and praise the One who is "the same yesterday and today and forever.

Today is Christmas, and celebrations are taking place all over the world in many ways. Let's not become so caught up in our generational and musical differences that we miss out on the glorious worship and praise of the One who is "the same yesterday and today and forever.