Celebrating The Prince Of Peace
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a beautiful, quiet, lovely carol fitting for Christmas Eve. Sing along.
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
Isn’t that beautiful? Probably as beautiful as that little town in Bethlehem that night. That little village on the side of the hill. One night centuries ago, God split the seams of heaven to give us the birth of our Savior. It meant that the war between God and man was about to come to an end. It meant a great victory over sin and Satan. A glorious victory. And that victory was secured that night in peace. Not through conflict, not through a bloody, noisy battle. Think about all the people throughout history whose greatness is remembered because of a war that they have won. I mean, great men like what General Eisenhower, Patton, George Washington – all who secured victories in battle. There are people like Alexander the Great or Napoleon; again, their greatness is remembered because of the manner in which they went to war. Every one of these great men, and others too numerous to mention, every one became great in battle.
But the greatness of God’s name is not magnified through war. God’s name is great because His majesty and authority is glorified through peace. And when I say peace, friend, I don’t mean waving the white flag or a ceasefire between God and man; I mean, Jesus was our peace treaty. He and He alone ended the war between God and man. He came to reconcile us to our Creator and restore our relationship with the Father. And once, okay, there had been hostility between God and man. Enmity, as it were. Once we were objects of His wrath, but now, now, all because of Jesus, we’ve got peace. No wonder the angels sang that night over the little town of Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest because peace has entered the earth, and God intends good will toward all people.”
Oh, friend, our world is so troubled; there are wars and rumors of more wars. We are on the edge of greater hostilities, in fact, right now in the very land of Bethlehem! But even with great conflict on the world stage, you and I can have peace in our hearts, if, if, we would but humble ourselves and bow before the Prince of Peace. Oh, friend, I join you in celebrating His birth this wonderful day. Think of it – a covenant of peace was written by Jesus Christ Himself. And He wrote it in His own red blood that He spilled at Mt. Calvary. Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Hallelujah! Oh, my goodness. From all of us at Joni and Friends, have a blessed Christmas Eve celebrating the Prince of Peace, born that night in the village of Bethlehem to give us His peace.
© Joni and Friends
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Words: Phillips Brooks
Music: Lewis Redner
Public Domain
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