At various points in the last twenty five years I have used these lyrics as the basis of a prayer at Christmas:
But say a prayer,
pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it's hard,
but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window,
and it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing
is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there
are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them
instead of you
Feed the World (Do They KNow it's Christmas)
In very different contexts people have been moved (in a good way!) by the use of these words in worship.
A call to count our blessings, a call to pray for those outside our windows - literally and metaphorically - that seems like half-decent theology to me. And on Christmas Eve as I am anticipating a good day it is timely to pause and reflect...
Comments
Just never been quite sure about the 'thank God it's them instead of you' line.