I know Christmas is over and many folks will be glad of it. I myself am not a big fan of what we call Christmas today, yet, one of my favorite hymns is Silent night. It was written originally as a poem by Joseph Mohr in 1816. In the very place that gave us Mozart from the city of Salzburg, Mohr was born into poverty and shame, being an illegitimate son of a soldier who abandoned the pregnant mother. He never became rich or famous and indeed the source of the song was unknown for decades after that. Hans Gruhber who composed the melody for the poem had a similar poor background. These two men from the very lowest parts of society, gave us the world’s most famous Christmas Carol, but to me it is not a “Christmas Carol,” but a song of worship and adoration. Consider these lines …………..
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!……………..
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
These are words of adoration and glory and beauty. Just imagine glories streaming from heaven above and being enveloped in them, or radiant beams of glorious light shining from the face of Jesus and manifesting themselves in grace that dispels the darkness. Even as i write this it brings tears to my eyes, my hand reaching up into the glories of heaven. I think of this song being sung at the very dawn of WW1 as the Germans and the allies come out of their trenches and embrace one another. The love of God Himself compelling them to lay down their arms and reach out to the “other side,” in love and common faith. And the great tragedy of darkness that followed.
Songs like this should be sung every week, then we too might catch a glimpse of glory streaming from heaven above with radiant beams of grace and mercy shining into a world that so desperately needs Jesus. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, every day is a day as unto Him.
A Call To The Remnant 