The song “O Holy Night” has been my most-played Christmas song this year. Particularly because of the opening verses:
“O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
The world is definitely weary this year, wouldn’t you say?
I’m so grateful that we have Christmas to celebrate at the end of this very trying 2020. It truly is a thrill of hope to focus on Jesus when so much in the world around us is still changing, still frustrating, and still out of our control. It’s refreshing to focus on our families, our traditions, and this very special time of year.
But I have a secret:
We can and should celebrate Christmas all the time, not just in December!
Eventually we will put our trees, lights, and decorations away, but the spirit of Christmas can continue to live in our homes and our hearts throughout the year.
We can choose where to focus our time and attention. This year I know I’ve spent a lot of time and mental energy watching the news and paying attention to politics. I’ve had to catch myself when I start noticing my heart feel weary because there’s a constant stream of bad news. If I’m not careful, I notice that my hope feels tied to milestones or to people who can never be lasting hope in our lives.
Hope is a person and His name is Jesus!
When our hearts feel weary, let’s remember that Jesus always offers hope. We can celebrate that every day of the year, no matter what is going on in the world.
We don’t know what 2021 will look like, but I’m confident that Jesus is walking alongside us. That is something to rejoice about!
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