o holy night
Do you have a favorite Christmas song? I have many, and here are a few that rise to the top: Carol of the Bells (and no joke, just after I typed that, it was the next song on my streaming station!), Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, a newer one (to me) called Peace Upon the Earth from Hillsong Worship that sounds a little like a lullaby and ballet mixed(?), and then the one featured here; the hopeful and timeless, O Holy Night.
“O 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, 'Til 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! O night divine! O night when Christ was born. O night divine, O night, O night divine!”
Just as we often feel weary today and long for the Second Advent of Christ, two-thousand years ago, the Israelites were weary. For hundreds of years, they waited for the promised Messiah the prophet Isaiah had proclaimed. Reading in Luke, we can imagine the wonder the shepherds felt the night of the First Advent. Visited by angels, they learned in fact, the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” was here. The long-awaited Messiah had come!
The Good News
This is good news. In fact, it is the best news for all who believe. Jesus, as an infant, came to dwell among us — Emmanuel, “God with us.” It’s so hard to try and wrap my mind around that reality, but there it is, in God’s holy Word. A miracle. And I believe in miracles.
Having realized my need for this Savior many years ago as a young adult and calling out to Him for salvation, I know life with and without Him. I have experienced His promised peace that passes all understanding. I’ve experienced Him throughout the ups and downs of life as my Counselor and Guide, my Hero and Friend, my all-knowing and ever-righteous King.
If you don't already know Jesus in this way, and you want to, you can! His Word promises in the book of Romans that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. This same chapter in Romans goes on to say that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
Good news, right?? Hallelujah! O holy night! :)
Free downloadable image
Inspired from a message in church earlier this month where some of the lyrics to O Holy Night were shared, I worked on our Christmas card. Then I thought it’d be fun to create some art adapted from that card, here for you to download! These are saved as standard picture files (JPGs) and can be printed anywhere that prints photos.
Each file will open in a new window. Just right click on it anywhere if on a desktop or laptop and if on a mobile device, look for your standard download/share arrow and then save it to your device. Go from there to print for you and/or a loved one:
O Holy Night: 5x7
O Holy Night: 8x10
Thanks for stopping by, and Merry Christmas, to you and yours, now and always!