the weary world rejoices

What seemed like such an insignificant Child to many was the Baby God born in a rugged stable. He didn't come to earth to be important, but to give our lives importance. He looked like an ordinary  baby to the world but was more than a lowly speck lying in a manger. He was born that we might have a new birth through Him. Little faithful Mary carried the Seed of Salvation in her womb and knew that it wasn't just any baby, but was God Himself. It wasn't his beauty that attracted the shepherds to the Child; it was the angel's tidings of joy. This heavy ladened and sinful world was changed in an instant the moment when God reached down in the form of humble Jesus and His first cry of Hope was heard in the silent night. 

The world, this weary world, has been shaken on its hinges over and again. We've seen mass shootings, terrorist explosions, martyrdom on foreign shores, hatred, anger, pride, bitterness, sadness, pain, loss, etc. I think every one of us can identify with this list. The ashes have settled and our hearts are broken. Our souls ache for redemption and grace. We strive to find peace and solace in this shattered and bruised world and realize more than ever before that this world is not our home and the peace we desire is not of this world. There is a Higher One who holds this fallen world in His loving hands and provides peace and grace not of this earth. 

"You beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low. Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps so slow. Look now! For glad and golden hours, come swiftly on the wing! O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing!"

On my way back to Birmingham a few weeks ago, Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas" came on the radio, and there was one line in particular that struck me: "When we have found what life's really worth, there'll be peace on earth." I thought about our God incarnate. He looked down and saw a world in desperate need of peace and redemption. Because of His birth, I am reminded of the value of my own soul and His immense peace soothing my broken heart. When Christ appeared on earth, our hurting souls felt its worth.

They gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, yet Christ takes these gifts and gives us a priceless worth. A worth for your soul He saw fit to restore. And what is the worth of your own soul? Christmas. Not the twinkling tinsel or shiny packages of Christmas. But God humbling Himself and dwelling among us to interrupt the chaos of our world as the Divine Prince of Peace. The peace of Christmas isn't found in a box or under our tree; it's Christ Himself interposed within our hearts.

That baby born of our flesh came not to bring peace, but to be our peace. The moment the Lord Jesus breathed His first, this weary world rejoiced. He interrupted our distress and sin. "Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices..." Grace interrupted our heavy laden world in the form of a baby King.

It's in the wee hours of Christmas morning, and thoughts of Mary and tiny Baby Emmanuel are quietly resting in my heart. I know that I wasn't there that night He came into this weary world. I have no exact image in my mind of what His humble birth might have looked like. I didn't see the Star that night shining brightly. I never heard the shepherds rejoicing over the good news. I was not there. It's inconceivable to imagine what really happened that night. The Bible gives an account of this great event in history but I am left to my ignorant devices to discern such a marvelous mystery and glorious promise of God. You can read about something like this grand moment until your finite mind sees no more. But unless you were there, there's a lot of guessing and wondering. Still the same, I believe and know that the God of this universe came down out of heaven and appeared in the likeness of humankind in perfect humility and died as a man for the stains and scars of sin within my heart. He appeared on earth here, so that I could appear someday up there in heaven.

"Yet with the woes of sin and strife

The world has suffered long;

Beneath the angel-strain have rolled

Two thousand years of wrong;

And man, at war with man, hears not

The love-song which they bring;

O hush the noise, ye men of strife,

And hear the angels sing." - Edmund Sears