George Frideric Handel – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Comfort for God’s People

Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God

man standing in a road — photo from Lightstock.com, stock photo site, an affiliate link

In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord^];
make straight in the desert a highway for our God

Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level ,the rugged places a plain.

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

Isaiah 40 (NIV)

“every valley”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also quoted this scripture passage in his iconic “I have a dream” speech. Read about it here-

The Handel family

Georg Handel was a barber-surgeon in northern Germany in the 17th century. Barber-surgeons were physicians in medieval Europe who only performed surgery, often treating wounds from war injuries. Eventually, surgery and barbery became separate occupations.

I’m glad his son, George did not follow his father into medicine. Instead George Frideric Handel studied music and eventually composed his masterpiece , Messiah, first performed in 1742, and which millions of people have listened to or sang since then.

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HANDEL'S MESSIAH- A SOULFUL CELEBRATION album cover

We usually associate Messiah with Christmas, but Handel wrote it to be performed at Easter. He drew the words of the songs from Scripture, choosing passages that tell the story of God sending Jesus to earth to redeem His people.