Silent Night

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Silent Night, Holy Night; all is calm, all is bright

‘Round yon virgin, mother and child

Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace

 We’ve all heard the song. We sing it with reverence as we think about Baby Jesus sleeping soundly in a manger while His sweet young mother adores Him. Often we close our candlelight services on Christmas Eve with it’s soothing tempo, and it brings great warmth and comfort, no matter how difficult the season can sometimes be.

Life wasn’t really all that calm and bright that Christmas Day, though. In fact there must have been chaos all ‘round that mother and child. After all, the nursery was a barn, with animals bleating and sharing their aromatic pleasures with the people everywhere. Remember there was no room for Mary and Joseph at the Inn because there was a major census going on. This was a large family reunion. Everyone had to come; Aunt Martha’s tiff with her sister was not going to excuse her from this one.

There were also uninvited guests. I don’t know, were the shepherds even part of the census? They weren’t in the city when the angles appeared to them, and after they found the baby they told everyone about what they had heard and seen. Luke says the people marveled about it; surely crowds went rushing in to see Jesus for themselves. I imagine everyone there at least knew about the new mom who put her baby in a feeding troth.

I’m not sure Jesus really slept with all that going on. I know He was an infant, but don’t forget, He was Holy; yes, He was tender and mild, but He was still the Lord of all creation. He came to that manger to seek and save the lost, but as a newborn baby He couldn’t do that. Man, it must have been hard knowing the hearts and hurts of all those around Him, but having to wait until the time was right before He could act.

This year, with all the hurting hearts around us, let us do our best to be tender and mild and know our place. Sometimes there is nothing we can do for those around us, except be the sure and steady security that they need. When it is not right to act, ask Jesus to help you to sleep in heavenly peace like He did, and I believe when the right time comes, the victory will come as well.

Merry Christmas, my friends. May God bless you with sweet peace and fill you with great joy.

*****

Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their confidence conflicts; it is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Losing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available in book stores this spring. All of these books are available now at www.CatrinaWelch.com

If you are interested in having Catrina come speak to your friends, colleagues or ministry you can contact her on facebook or by email at catrina@catrinawelch.com.

 

 


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