Dec 31 - Seventh Day of Christmas

Legend tells us that The Twelve Days of Christmas

was a secret catechism during times of persecution.

For these twelve days let’s focus on twelve teachings:

The Seventh Day of Christmas

Seven Swans a Swimming

 

The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

Appropriate for our Christmas season, these seven gifts are first enumerated in Scripture in a famous messianic prophecy, Isaiah 11:1=3. Jesus the Messiah is from the line of David, and David’s father Jesse is the “root” or “stump” from which the promised king will come …

 

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of (1) wisdom and (2) understanding, the spirit of (3) counsel and (4) might, the spirit of (5) knowledge and (6) the fear of the Lord. 3 His (7) delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

 

1.    Wisdom – The Spirit helps us recognize and live by truth.

2.    Understanding – The Spirit helps us comprehend Scripture and the doctrines of the faith.

3.    Counsel – The Spirit helps us discern between good and evil, between right and wrong.

4.    Might / Strength / Fortitude – The Spirit helps us stand up for God and truth, and do it without fear, even in the face of persecution and evil.

5.    Knowledge – This is different than the “understanding” of scripture and doctrine. This is the “knowledge” of self. The Spirit helps us comprehend how God is calling us personally to fulfill our unique destiny in the kingdom.

6.    Fear of the Lord – The Spirit helps us bow in wonder and reverence before the awesomeness of God.

7.    Piety – This is the hardest to see in the list, but “delight[ing] in the fear of the Lord” is piety. It is following God’s ways with joy and integrity. The Spirit gives us this ability and delight too.

 

How is the Spirit acting in these ways in your life?

 

We said earlier that this is a Messianic prophecy. Jesus was the first to have the Spirit fully alight upon him. Therefore, he was the first-fruits of those who could aspire to life of true wisdom, understanding, counsel, and might. Yet we have the same Spirit too.

 

As you prayerfully examine how thoroughly you exhibit these seven characteristics, discovering more is not a matter of working harder; it’s a matter of yielding more and more of your heart to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who likes the way

that our old Lutheran hymnal

wrote these seven gifts

in our baptismal prayers;

the seventh gift was translated:

“and the spirit of joy in your presence.”

May Spirit of Joy fill your New Year!