Sunday, December 18, 2016

O Little Town of Bethlehem


O Little Town of Bethlehem  by Philips Brooks 

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



For Christ is born of Mary

And gathered all above

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love

O morning stars together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God the King

And Peace to men on earth



How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still,

The dear Christ enters in.



O holy Child of Bethlehem

Descend to us, we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

Be born to us today

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us

Our Lord Emmanuel.   

            The first stanza of this great Christmas hymn states, ”Yet in thy dark streets shinethThe everlasting Light.” As I read this hymn a few nights ago it occurred to me that Christ’s everlasting light is still shining brightly in this sin cursed world.  Lately, my wife and I have gone through some of the darkest trials of our married life.  However, Christ’s light was the only light at the end of the dark tunnel of trial.  The reason we could make it through the darkness was because God had imparted to our human hearts “The blessings of His heaven”.  Our prayer is,” O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.” 

Prayer for the Day   

Precious Lord my prayer is “O holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us, we pray Cast out our sin and enter in Be born to us today.”  Lord please don’t let any of us let our profession of faith stand in the way of letting You cast out any sin that you have located in our lives during this Christmas season.  Lord, I am praying, “O come to us, abide with us Our Lord Emmanuel”.  This I am sincerely praying.  Amen.




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