The Weary World Rejoices

The day is cold and overcast, so I have decided to use that to my advantage. I’ll make it cozy instead of dreary. So I begin to light the Christmas candles and turn on the Christmas tree lights. Music would be comforting. I’ll turn on something mellow yet full of the holiday, but as I walk past the table, I look at the scene displayed there: Joseph, Mary, the angel. But it’s the manger that draws me over. My fingertips trail along the paper mâché’ figure. I tenderly pick it up and look at the tiny replica of the baby. And I wonder,

What child is this who’s laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?

I think of that night that changed the trajectory of the entire world, and ultimately 2000+ years later would change the trajectory of my own life. I close my eyes.

All is calm. All is bright.

But this silent night became more than that. With this one tiny baby, it became holy.

HOLY night, the stars are brightly shining.

It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.

Incredibly, there in that cave stable, in the trough manger, lay the God of all creation. And I wonder… were there

Radiant beams from his holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace?

I lean in to listen. Phrases of old familiar hymns waft in and out of my conscious thought. I listen, especially this Christmas. I’m weary. We’re all weary. But I close out the thundering world and listen. And I hear it, the glorious heavenly refrain.

Oh hear the angel voices.

I hear the echo that spans time.

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo.

Glory to God in the highest. And suddenly a phrase I’ve sung so many Christmases past takes on new meaning:

The weary world rejoices!

We are weary, yet even so, we have so much for which to rejoice. Yes, even during COVID, and yes, even during extreme political and social unrest, and yes, even in so much uncertainty, and yes, even in the incredible weariness of it all, this baby is still Christ the King.

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing!

And in response, my weariness seeps out and peace floods in. I forget way too easily that He calls me- He calls us- to a far more abundant light-filled life, a triumphant, victorious life. Victory over fear and doubt and despair and disillusions and disappointments.

O Come all ye faithful, JOYFUL and TRIUMPHANT!

How can it be? How can life hinge on this frail baby? Because that little baby, that tiny baby is God!

The sleeping child you’re holding is the Great I AM!

And today, this year of 2020, He is still proclaiming that we can have peace. HIS peace…not as the world gives, but deep-down-regardless-of-circumstances peace. Peace in the face of adversity. Peace in a world of fear. – sweet, sweet peace.

Peace on earth, good will to men from heaven’s all gracious king.

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

I cradle the paper mâché’ baby in my now trembling hands. The wonder washes over me anew, that God didn’t just reign from afar. He is Immanuel, God WITH us. Oh how I want everyone to know that this joy and peace and love are not illusions; they are within reach, within the touch of this baby. I am overcome with awe. How can I remain standing? I can’t. Not in view of God’s great love and mercy, all wrapped up in this baby. Yes, even this Christmas, the gift is precious. The gift is holy and undeserved. And the gift is ours for the taking. I bow in humble amazement and immense gratitude. More than just a trivial bow of my head. I fall to my knees before my Immanuel.

The thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees. O hear the angels’ voices.

O night DIVINE, O night when Christ was born!

Oh how I want others to know this baby King who came and lived and died and reigns… and who still today has come to make us new.

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.

Reconciled! Think of it! The sinner made whole, new, holy and pure. The sinner, walking with the Savior.

Join the triumph of the skies. With angelic host proclaim, glory to this newborn king.

Because Christ came, because he crossed over from life to death, I crossed over from the walking dead to abundant life. Looking at that little baby, no one could have fathomed the magnitude of this gift.

This baby boy would give sight to a blind man and calm the storm with his hand!

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb!

And so I silence the noise and allow it to be a silent night, a holy night. All can be calm – in spite of the storm. All can be bright - in spite of the darkness.

Come, let us adore him.

Come and worship. Come and worship. Worship Christ, the newborn king.

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(I strongly recommend listening to Danny Gokey sing O Holy Night. And as you listen, sense the wonder of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfQkAlVP2Zo ) Below are the wonderful old hymns referenced in this blog:

What Child Is This

Silent Night

O Holy Night

Angels We Have Heard on High

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

O Come All Ye Faithful

Mary Did You Know

Joy to the World

O Come All Ye Faithful