“The Gift of Three Songs”

Christmas Gifts from the Prophets
“The Gift of Three Songs”
Part 1 in a series
By Brenda Black


“I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit...What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?” (Isaiah 5:1-4)

Isaiah sang of the gift God gave – His fertile land and His choice vine -- the Son He sent. The best came to earth, predicted by the prophets of old, because God so loved each of us. Jesus was planted in the womb of a virgin, who adds her melody of humble favor to the notes of Isaiah's tune.

“And Mary said: 'My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thought. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.'” (Luke 1:46-55)

The gift came as a babe in a manger to a vineyard filled with promise. Isaiah sang of this great gift call Emmanuel. Mary sang of the gift of His mighty power. But it was Zechariah who added the all important lyrics of Christ's saving prophecy as the ultimate gift to humanity.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant...” (Lk. 1:67-72)

The vine, the babe, the song, the Christ “grew and became strong in spirit.” (Lk 1:80)


In His last days on earth, Jesus hauntingly sings again a new version of Isaiah's “Song of the Vineyard” when He speaks of the parable of the landowner, recorded in Matthew 21.

“'...There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it , dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. He leased it to tenant farmers and went away. When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit. But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them. Finally, he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son,” he said.'

“'But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance!” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?'” (Mt. 21:33-40)

The Creator God provided the gift of a vineyard; He the earth and you and me. A Loving God sent the gift of His Son, the perfect branch, to dwell among the vines and offer fellowship with holiness. In return for such provision and love, mercy and miracles, we scorned, disrespected, rejected and crucified Him. We yielded bad fruit! Is that any way to say thanks? Jesus, the beautiful branch who bore life for all mankind, was planted in the womb of a virgin and grew to provide salvation. What are we doing with such a marvelous gift?


If Christmas is a time of music and giving, then may it be sung about you and me that we were good fruit and lived as redeemed.

The Faith Debate
by Brenda Black

There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who live by faith and those who live by sight. Before placing judgement, remember Christ contended that it is more blessed to believe without seeing, but to be more blessed means the “show me” crowd must be blessed as well. Let's face it – both types are necessary and provide balance. Mary and Elizabeth from the Gospel of Luke are perfect examples of blind-believing faith and sight-seeing faith that demonstrate God's joy for each.

Meet Mary – a humble, young teen who knew very little about normal pregnancy and even less about the supernatural kind. It strikes me that Mary didn't deny what the angel Gabriel told her, she just wanted to know “How will this be since I am a virgin?” Young, humble, and inquisitive. Sounds like a teen to me. And when she received ample explanation - radically unusual, absolutely miraculous, completely foreign to her understanding – she accepted it without further question.

Enter Elizabeth - an older, wiser woman already in the midst of one miracle. She's an elderly, barren woman six months pregnant. “When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” (Luke 1:41-42) Then she asks her own nagging question - “But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (vs. 43)

Elizabeth's tangible encounter confirms what Mary already has accepted in innocent faith. Elizabeth is blessed because of her in-sight. Mary is blessed because of her fore-sight. “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” (vs 44-45)

Two perspectives intertwined to tell the greatest story in history. One from the outside, looking in and seeing God's hand, feeling his Spirit and being blessed. The other in the midst of the miracle, trusting God's purpose, expecting his Spirit and being blessed. The best part of the whole picture is that they bless one another!

For the practical who need proof, there is plenty of it in this universe. And we are blessed that they continue to dig for the evidence and render documentation that points to divine creation and intervention. For the dreamers and ponderers who couldn't care less if there is an ounce of tangible proof, we are blessed for their joyous abandonment to follow their hearts instead of their heads and demonstrate incredible living faith.

There is probably a little bit of both in each of us if we look closely. At times we need to see the data for ourselves. Other days, we simply accept it with grace.

It is one day past Christmas. The pageants and carols and packages and symbols will soon fade into memories or disappear into storage boxes. What will you do with the evidence of Christ's miraculous birth once again remembered this December? How will you look ahead with your heart and anticipate his presence in the new year? May I suggest that you go forward with your eyes wide open, watching for confirmation of Immanuel. Proceed with your eyes shut, trusting in a God who is with us even when we cannot see his face or touch his hand. We are blessed because whether we see or simply believe, we can feel his Spirit and leap for joy that we have the gift of faith!