Recently I was diagnosed with an ailment that was causing me constant pain in my knee, a slight limp and worrisome thoughts that I might need some type of surgery or serious medications. Once defined as a common but painful situation I was relieved but still anxious. I shared my plight with a few friends and immediately they all voiced ideas and one said, “Oh, I had that and I got over it ; you will too”. I immediately felt lighter and a sense of hope.
One of the world’s most loved Christmas carols, “O, Holy Night” has the line. “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”. I understand a little better the idea of “A thrill of hope”. Things will get better, the future is brighter, wounds will be made whole, illnesses healed. Yonder, in the manger lies the answer, a new and glorious morn! It was the night of our dear Saviors birth! No matter how long we have lain in our sin and error , HE has appeared, and our souls are worthy through HIM!! Trust in this Child of the virgin, this sacrifice of the cross! There is the thrill of hope for all our situations. They will either be resolved here or in eternity. You will “get over it’ like my unexpected diagnosis, the pain will be relieved in time. God’s time.
So, even though I will need to carefully fall on my knees, I want to proclaim with those angel voices, “O night divine, O, Holy Night, when Christ was born!!
While preparing for Christmas I have carols playing continually to keep me moving and inspired. I love to catch some of the phrases in my mind and focus on what the writers were expressing from their hearts. Two verses from ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” caught my attention and stirred my soul. The last two verses say, ” Then in despair I bowed my head, ‘there is no peace on earth’ I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep GOD IS NOT DEAD nor doth He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
Penned by Longfellow in 1863, its sentiments could have been written this year. Many times the events of our nations cause us to bow our heads in despair, the situations in our families cause heart break and the sin in our own lives mocks back at us that hate is strong. But God didn’t leave His creation there. In the manger was provided the “right that will prevail”. The Son of God was given who can restore nations, mend brokenness and forgive and heal from personal guilt. From that night of the nativity there is a hope that causes us to raise our heads and peal the bells loud and deep! God is not dead, nor doth He sleep! Joy to the World, our Lord has come!!!
I am one of those people who begin listening to Christmas music early in the season. Each year there seems to be one verse or phrase that catches my attention regardless of how many times I have heard or sung it. While decorating my tree Sunday night I heard “with the dawn of redeeming grace “ and literally stopped working and sat on the top of my ladder and wondered……”the dawn of redeeming grace”. I have studied grace in the past but this was a new idea!! The birth of the Christ child brought a dawning into humanity’s night. No more striving to keep the law and failing. I now rely on the grace of Christ to redeem me back to God.
Then I heard the word “dawning”. Like the sun, grace has always been there in the essence of God, even before the sun was created!! But the birth of the Son of God displayed for us the dawn of His saving grace. Light into darkness, night becomes day, amazing grace!! I hope each time you hear this phrase, this season, that you will wonder at the “dawn of redeeming grace”.
