Cantata:  a composition for one or more voices usually comprising solos, duets, recitatives, and choruses and sung to an instrumental accompaniment.

Several years ago when my boys were young, my aunt and uncle invited us to enjoy their church’s Christmas Cantata.  I was to be included in the Christmas musical presentation playing carols before the service.  So we bundled up on a very cold December late afternoon to make the hour and a half drive to the church.

As we entered the small church, we just stood and looked – in wonder!  The whole interior of the church was white.  Even the piano was white!  And there were no overhead or side lights on, just hundreds/thousands, perhaps, of little white lights – with just a touch of red here and there in the form of bows.  It took my breath away.  I thought how appropriate to present the announcement of our sinless Jesus’ – God incarnate – His birth in such purity, pure white!

It has been my lot in most of my life having been involved in music in churches to sit in the front row.  So there were my three boys and me sitting in the front row!  The church’s choir proceeded to the platform – you guessed it – in pure white choir robes – and then the most beautiful music began to play.  No live orchestra – just a background CD as was so common in churches in the 1980’s and 90’s.  No matter – it was glorious music.

The choir comprised of fifteen or sixteen voices knew what they were doing!  Their voices blended beautifully – they had practiced to near perfection.  But that wasn’t all.  They sang not only from their diaphragms, but from their hearts – their whole being.  Had I not had a personal relationship with this Tiny Babe, Infant King, Savior that they were singing about, I would have wanted one.  He sang through them – shined in glorious wonder through them.

The cantata wasn’t musically powerful, but rather very lyrical, low-key, soothing music about how very wonderful the Savior is.  It was, in fact, a rather simple musical composition, repeating several phrases over and over.  To my regret, I don’t remember the name of the cantata, but what I do remember is how it made me feel – how it drew me even closer to Jesus – how, indeed, so very wonderful our Jesus is!  I felt as if I were drawn up halfway between Heaven and Earth riding on the melody and lyrics of the cantata . . .   When! – all of a sudden I felt an urgent tapping on my right arm.  I gathered myself instantly, and leaned down to see what was so important for my eight-year-old son to have to tell me right then.  He just looked up at my face with his eyes brimming with wonder to say to me, “Oh, Mama!  Isn’t He wonderful??!!”   Yes!  He is!

That is one of my greatest Christmas memories – ever.  To know that not only was I so very moved by listening to, and enjoying ‘Jesus on pitch’, but that a son of mine was as filled with awe as I was.  I pray that this Christmas the world will see and hear and experience how, truly, wonderful Jesus is – that they will know the true meaning of the holiday as never before.  “And His Name will be called WONDERFUL Counselor . . .”  Isaiah 9.6