O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth; 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, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
This week, I asked Nora what her favorite Christmas hymn was, and she quickly replied, “O Holy Night.” The lyric from the first verse “til he appeared, and the soul felt it’s worth,” is a line that is particularly meaningful to her. It is a simple but profound truth: because of Jesus, we have worth. Because of Jesus, we have the ability to see what in this world is of true value.
Human nature leads us to seek things in life that have worth or value. We want things and experiences that bring us happiness, comfort, and peace. Specially at Christmas, we spend time thinking about what gifts we can give and receive that will be valued. We plan family meals and traditions to create memories of special times with loved ones to carry with us. In the busyness of the season, are we seeking things that have true worth?
There are so many things about the Christmas season that are good, wholesome, and meaningful, but it was that one holy night 2000 years ago that brought about the possibility of true eternal value. It was the night of our Savior's birth. A savior was needed then, for a world engulfed in sin. A savior is still needed today. Our Savior has come, but many today still do not feel or seek Him. That one holy night changed the structure of our world but our perspective on that night dictates the course of our souls.
On that night, our Savior came to earth as a child to be the eventual sacrifice for our sins and to create a way for sinful humans to be restored to a right relationship with God. He knew us in our sin and loved us enough to give His life for us. In Christ we are both fully known and fully loved, and it is in this truth that our world can rejoice. It is in Christ and in His sacrifice that we do look forward to the new and glorious morning where Christ is King forevermore and where our souls are rightly oriented towards Him and the world around us.
This December, let the night that Christ was born orient the direction of your life. Don’t sing the words to “O Holy Night” but live like it was anything less than the most significant of events. We are free from sin, eternally valuable and have hope because of this night.