🎶
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!
🎶
I have sang, but mostly hummed, this song to my daughter since she was an infant. It was the first song that popped in my head as I was rocking her to sleep. It was the song I continued to sing nap after nap and night after night. Even now, she asks me to hum it when she wants to be soothed. And when we brought baby boy home, she told me to sing him “her song” when he was crying and needed soothing himself. I just about melted.
You see, I didn’t know a thing about Christ’s birth when I sang this to my sweet girl 8 and 1/2 years ago. I didn’t know about a young virgin, an angel’s message, or shepards. I didn’t know about a Savior coming in the most humble beginnings or gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
But God knew that one day my heart and eyes would be open. He knew that one day I’d cry at the fact that this whole time, I’ve been humming to my child about the birth of Jesus. That my motherly hum was planting seeds of His love, His story, and His saving grace in her heart and mind.
Oh how wonderful a God we serve! How beautiful a moment this was when I realized the gift of His presence before truly knowing Him. What a loving God to be present in our lives night after night with this amazing song. A song of His birth, of the miracle, of His glory.
Singing it now brings tears to my eyes. Singing it now means more than it did before. Singing it now is a reminder that even when I didn’t know Him, He was there guiding me, helping me, using my own voice to sing His praises back into my heart. He was the one planting seeds, I just didn’t know it.
Silent night, holy night. A baby was born. The most wonderful baby to ever live. Our Savior, our God, our Redeemer, our Joy, our Peace, our Gift.
Luke 1 and 2 tell us the story of His birth. The story of Mary finding out about her favor, how she accepted the blessing even through the fear and uncertainty, and how she went straight to her cousin that was pregnant as well.
Luke tells us how the baby in Elizabeth’s belly LEAPED with joy when Mary walked in. And how Mary was blessed because she believed the promises made to her.
It tells us the story of Joseph, of forgiveness, of doubt turned belief, and of a trip to Bethlehem where Jesus came at the most impromptu time.
Our Savior born in an animal manger. With his teenage mother and his earthly father that only believed because an angel also gave him a visit.
Jesus’ birth story is full of courage, fear, favor, praise, forgiveness, unbelief, belief, timelines, obligations, joy, hiding, truth, and so much more.
Hallelujah is right.
Holy night is right.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas. I know we’ve had our tree up since November 8th this year. But God. But God is still our focus, our center, our reason for celebration.
His holy night is what brings the joy. His birth is what gives us hope and faith. And I hope to reveal or remind you of that today too.
Below is some of Jesus’ birth story.
It’s a beautiful one. The most beautiful. I pray that it fills you with hope, faith, love, and curiosity. I hope it fills you with His presence in the season of presents. Knowing that He is our ultimate gift, our ultimate blessing, our ultimate Savior. I pray you know that He came as a baby to show us more than just humble beginnings. That everything goes deeper than we could ever think or imagine. That this story is an invitation to know Him better, know Him more, or just plain know Him.
I pray this season, this new year, brings you more of Him in your every day life. He is where joy is, He is were peace is, He is waiting for you to experience more of Him. Immanuel- God with us.
Happy Birthday Jesus.
Luke 1:
Birth of Jesus Foretold
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
Luke 1:26-38
Mary Visits Elizabeth
“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.””
Luke 1:39-45
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.”
Luke 1:46-56
The Birth of Jesus Christ
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:1-7
The Shepards and The Angels
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”
Luke 2:8-21
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”
Matthew 1:23
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Xoxo,
Stephanie