James 1:17
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
As a result of his marriage to Anne Boleyn and three excommunications from the Catholic church, Henry VIII took the extreme step of severing all ties to Rome and setting up his own church, the Church of England. He also disbanded all monasteries, priories, convents and friaries, destroyed the properties and seized all assets for the crown. Catholics all over the kingdom who chose to remain faithful to the Pope, were persecuted and some martyred for their loyalty. The Church of England forbade all other religious teaching about Christ except their own, so folks were forced to go underground to practice their faith and teach their children. Legend has it that parents became creative and used hidden meanings—a secret code—within “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to teach little ones about the things of God. The song begins with the Giver of all gifts, the one True Love, which represents God. James 1:17
“On the first day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me…
• A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Jesus, who gave His life on a tree, the cross. John 3:16
• Two Turtle Doves: doves were given as an act of love and sacrifice by Jewish fathers and mothers when they brought a newborn baby to the Temple in Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary followed tradition and did this with Jesus. Luke 2:22,24
• Three French Hens: represent the three gifts offered by the Three Wise Men. Matthew 2:10-11
• Four Calling Birds: speak of the four Gospels written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all who had stories to tell about Jesus. John 20:31
• Five Gold Rings: these correspond to the first five books of the Bible, five great treasures worth more than gold, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Psalm 19:9-10
• Six Geese a-laying: eggs symbolize new life and the six eggs symbolize the new life that God created in six days. Genesis 1:31
• Seven Swans a swimming: are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:6-8
• Eight Maids a-milking: reading the pure milk of God’s word and embracing the eight Beatitudes Jesus taught will help us grown strong in our faith. Matthew 5:3-10
• Nine Ladies Dancing: signify the qualities that God produces in our lives, the nine fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23
• Ten Lords a-leaping: helps to remind us of the importance of obeying the Ten Commandments. Ex. 20: 2-17
• Eleven Pipers Piping: represent the eleven faithful disciples. Mark 3: 16-19
• Twelve Drummers Drumming: the purpose of a drummer is to beat a steady rhythm in order to keep everyone playing music on the same beat, with unity. The drummers remind us of the Apostles Creed in which are written the twelve important beliefs of Christians, and upon which we can stand in unity as believers.
Many of us come from different backgrounds, with different traditions, church denominations or dissimilar worship styles. We may even have opposing political convictions. But, the one thing we can agree on is that we have much more that unifies us than what divides us. We have Jesus. God gave the Greatest Gift in Jesus His Son. All else comes from Him and through Him. As we bid farewell soon to another one of the the most contentious, challenging, and sometimes heartbreaking years in recent history, may we enter this new year by holding onto Jesus and the ties of belief that bind us together in unity.
Father in heaven, thank You for Your incomparable gift of Jesus. By the leading of the Holy Spirit, help us to seek His wisdom, guide us in all Truth, and provide tolerance and forbearance towards one another, for the sake of unity in the body of believers. For Your sake we pray, Amen.
– portions taken from The Twelve Days of Christmas by Helen Haidle for ZonderKiz
– painting by Lisa Bousson
