Daily Word of Grace # 203 (December 24, 2020)
One of the most powerful, high octane gospel Christmas hymns is “O Holy Night”, the mid-nineteenth century masterpiece by Adolphe Adam and Placide Cappeau. You know these lyrics: “Oh holy night. The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error, pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees. Oh, hear the angel voices. Oh night divine, oh night when Christ was born.” As the world was “in sin and error pining” God’s love proved so strong that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ. And throughout his earthly ministry Jesus reached out to the least, the last, and the lost with unconditional love, unconditional grace, unconditional forgiveness so that indeed “the soul felt its worth.” God’s love, grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ spark “a thrill of hope” in our hearts—so that indeed “the weary world rejoices” and indeed “yonder breaks a new and glorious morn” because the mercies of God are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). The same stars that were “brightly shining” the night of our dear Savior’s birth are still “brightly shining”, and the grace of God in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12), still shines on you even now. Merry Christmas!
Love and Prayers,
Dave