O' Little Town of Bethlehem
I grow more convinced that much of our view of the events surrounding Christmas come not from Scripture, but from the hymns. “O' little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie above thy deep and dreamless streets the silent stars go by." Still? Dreamless maybe, but not still. This was census time. The streets were probably full of late arrivals, who, like Mary and Joseph were looking for a place to spend the night. Doors were being knocked on, windows shouted to, people and animals moved through the streets.
The night was anything but peaceful and silent for Mary and Joseph. Childbirth never is. Assuming of course that Jesus, in the words of Harry Chaplin “came into the world in the usual way.” No, there was pain, fear, and ultimately cries limitless joy. There was also all the smells and discomforts that came with spending the night, and giving birth in a stable.
The shepherds, who no doubt were hoping for a quiet night free from predators and wandering sheep, were the ones who had their world really shaken. Angels, lights, and heavenly hosts proclaiming messianic births were definitely not on the evenings agenda, but then miraculous doings rarely are.
I think our images of a tranquil evening in a sleepy little town have more to do with the promise of “peace on earth, Good will to men” than is does with Bethlehem being quiet that night. Even more so it has to do with the peace that comes not from Jesus being born in Bethlehem, but with us being born again in Him. When God imparts to Human hearts the wonders of His heaven. It is the peace of a life in Christ that brings to mind those tranquil feelings and images more so than the reality of a still, quiet Bethlehem.
~Tom Bates
The night was anything but peaceful and silent for Mary and Joseph. Childbirth never is. Assuming of course that Jesus, in the words of Harry Chaplin “came into the world in the usual way.” No, there was pain, fear, and ultimately cries limitless joy. There was also all the smells and discomforts that came with spending the night, and giving birth in a stable.
The shepherds, who no doubt were hoping for a quiet night free from predators and wandering sheep, were the ones who had their world really shaken. Angels, lights, and heavenly hosts proclaiming messianic births were definitely not on the evenings agenda, but then miraculous doings rarely are.
I think our images of a tranquil evening in a sleepy little town have more to do with the promise of “peace on earth, Good will to men” than is does with Bethlehem being quiet that night. Even more so it has to do with the peace that comes not from Jesus being born in Bethlehem, but with us being born again in Him. When God imparts to Human hearts the wonders of His heaven. It is the peace of a life in Christ that brings to mind those tranquil feelings and images more so than the reality of a still, quiet Bethlehem.
~Tom Bates
No comments:
Post a Comment