December 22, 2006
The Joy Of Redemption
READ: Psalm 98
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things. —Psalm 98:1 For 30 straight Christmas seasons at the Omaha Community Playhouse, Dick Boyd never missed a performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. When he retired at the age of 83, Boyd no longer needed makeup to play the cynical, miserly old man who is transformed at Christmas. During the play, the dramatic change in Scrooge is seen in his face, in his voice, and in his generosity. The director who selected Boyd for the role in 1976 said, “Dick was the one who best captured the joy of redemption.”
Each Christmas reminds us of God’s grace shown to us in the gift of Jesus Christ, His Son. The carols of the season reflect the psalmist’s words: “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations” (Ps. 98:1-2). Isaac Watts poetically expressed Psalm 98 in these enduring words:
Joy to the world! The Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
The evidence of God’s salvation can be seen in our faces, heard in our voices, and reflected by the works of our hands. May the joy of redemption shine through us this Christmas, and throughout the rest of the year. David C. McCasland