Gabriel Throws the Party of the Millennium

Glory To God (Album Version)


First... don't press play yet.

Second... don't judge me for posting this song through MySpace. I couldn't find any other full version of the song to put on this post. If any of you have suggestions for better ways to do this please let me know.

OK - now I want you to imagine the angel choir that sang to the shepherds. What do they look like? What do they sound like?

I don't know about you, but when I typically think of the angel choir at Christmas, I picture this:

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I hear something like a big cathedral choir singing the "Hallelujah Chorus." Or I picture little kids in a Christmas pageant. I feel as though a lot of people envision the angels in this way. It's sort of how our culture has shaped our view of angels. 

Now you can press play on the song.

Wow! What a different view of the angels Todd Agnew gives us! 

We go from this:

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To this:

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If I'm ever listening to this song while driving - it's kind of dangerous because I can't help but dance. 

Did you hear the beginning of the song? 

Can we sing yet?

Can we shout yet?

Can you imagine what it must have been like for the angels? For all of time they have been waiting for this moment. (Notice waiting again- that's what Advent is all about.) The moment they get to share this AMAZING news of God's plan to the world. It's like a kid waiting for Santa Claus times a billion. They can't wait. They just want to sing. They want to shout. They want to rejoice that YES! Jesus is FINALLY HERE! God's plan is in action! 

And they get to share it. 

This isn't a time to sit down and be calm.

WE NEED TO JUMP UP AND DANCE!

This is a time to sing, dance, shout, and share the news. 

Traditional choirs and hymns and songs are wonderful. I love them and they share the amazing joy of Christmas. I will never deny this. But I love this image Todd Agnew paints for us. The angel choir is having a huge dance party in the sky for the shepherds because they are so happy that Jesus has finally come down to earth. The song goes on and on, almost to the point where you think it will never end. 

We've all been to parties like that haven't we? When we wish it could never end because we are so excited to be celebrating?

Christmas is a celebration. It's a time to remember that yes there is pain and sorrow in the world and in our lives - but that's exactly why Jesus came. He came to save us from that pain and sorrow. It's a reason to celebrate! 

If we can't have a party for that - then I don't know what we can have a party about that.

To catch up on this series about Todd Agnew's Christmas album, Do You See What I See, click here.