HOPE ???

Why?  

Why celebrate with such evil, such destruction all around us?   What's there to celebrate? 

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. 

When I celebrate, when I see Him, I realize I'm not just a speck of dust, an insignificant sod, or a guilt ridden failure. 

    When I see Him, I suddenly feel the immensity of my value. God- the one who made it all, loves me! He loves you! He came down and became one of us because of our immense worth.  He suffered, so that we would know He does care. 

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease. 

This God is not the author of evil, He is the author of love.  If I try to figure it out, I'm left with screaming pain. If I trust that He is one who cares, who loves, and enter into that comfort, I'm left with HOPE.

The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! 

He, God, actually cared so much that He was became weak and felt our need and saw our evil. He came to be our friend!!

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

And hope springs up. A  hope that defies life's circumstance. A hope that says, "Yes, there IS something more than this!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, 
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. 

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born; 

When I listen with my heart instead of my head, I fall, in gratitude and awe at the thought of that night!

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

And out of that HOPE, when I embrace Him, welcome Him, as the angels did that divine night,  in praise, JOY springs up.  A joy that defies the circumstances, that causes all other  forms of happiness  to be tinsel on a magnificent tree.  

  

May you, as I have, find the hope, comfort, peace and joy that is the message of this beautiful Christmas carol. 

Italicized words from "O Holy Night" song by Adolphe Adam