I have been reviewing some modern worship songs, but I’ve taken a break to explore some Advent and Christmas hymns. 😀. Just when you think Christmas is over, you remind yourself that December 25th is the first of the 12 days of Christmas. So, I’ll wait until January 7th to go back to normal hymns.
Today, the final day, I’ve chosen Saviour’s Day.
I don’t remember many Christmas songs in the charts in the 1990s, and I certainly don’t remember many spiritual Christmas songs in the charts – ever. But this one was an exception. Cliff Richard did release a few other spiritual Christmas songs, but this one is the most memorable for me. And it’s lovely to see an Irish girl, Andrea Corr (of The Corrs), singing it with him. It reached number one in Christmas 1990.
Back then, I used to write Christian leaflets and distribute them in Limerick. I remember capitalizing on that song and writing a leaflet with “Saviour’s Day” as the title.
The main spiritual message is in the chorus:
Open your eyes on Saviour's Day
Don't look back or turn away
Life can be yours if you'll only stay
He is calling you, calling you
On the Saviour's Day
People sometimes scoff at the notion of being saved, but what does a Saviour do if he doesn’t save? Having a Saviour and being saved is hugely emphasized in the New Testament. That was the message of Christmas:
Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Luke 2: 10-11
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Titus 2:13
while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
We’ll feel fully saved when Jesus returns, but even now, all those who trust in Jesus are saved. Many verses use the term in its past tense:
Luke 7:50
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
Titus 3:5
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
I think of it like being rescued from the sea. If I’m in the helicopter on the way to the shore, I can be thankful that I have been rescued. The rescue process is still underway, but I’ll be a lot happier when I’m back home. But I trust Jesus much more than I trust helicopters 😄.
John 10:28
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Saviour’s Day didn’t really catch on as a Christmas song. And I don’t suppose that it’s sung widely across the world. But here are a couple of other videos of Cliff and others singing it:
And here’s an Irish group, Rend Collective, singing a similar song.
Hibernia Gospel 