Wednesday, December 23, 2009

"Silent Night, Holy Night"

    
    Upon this Christmas Eve, with all the excitement, take some time to draw away and visit that night two thousand years ago.  Mary and Joseph, having been turned away from the basic comforts, were reduced to lodging in that sheep cave.  The young virgin mother was in labor and giving birth. The silence of that night was broken with the pain of childbearing. Of course, that was a result of the fall of man according to Gen. 3:16.  For Mary, it was bringing forth the Man of Sorrows in a night of sorrow, but He would break that curse for all those that believe! Yet, this night was only another moment of suffering in the thousands of years of troubles leading up to it.  How the devil had tormented the people of God in attempts to thwart the Saviour’s birth. Think back on the sufferings of Israel, as they went from captivity to captivity, sorrow to sorrow, because they were the chosen of God. The birth of Christ was preceded by millenniums of heartache.

Christmas Eve has always been a quiet evening for me. It has always been filled with anticipation, and with the feeling that all the hustle and bustle, planning and running is over, and Christmas morning is finally about to dawn! In the morning, delight, laughing, hugs and thanksgiving will fill the air. But Christmas Eve is quiet and still. For a few hours there is a lull between the fast pace of preparation and the joy of tomorrow.

As Mary wrapped the Baby in swaddling clothes and laid Him in the manger, a stillness and quietness filled that place. All the turmoil leading to this night was now over, and there would be joy in the days following because of this Gift of God to mankind. Please meditate on the great cost that has been paid by many for our Saviour to be born that night. Thank God for the faithfulness of the remnant of Israel and for the Son of
God who was born to die!


Study verses: Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:17-25; Habakkuk 3; Psalms 105 and 106

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