Christmas Bells

Merry Christmas from Lincoln, Nebraska!

Though I have much to write about our move out here, I thought I would take this opportunity to write to you about what God has laid upon my heart over the last week or so.

I recently read the story behind the Christmas hymn “I heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite hymns.  This past week I have found myself singing this song to myself often throughout the day.

On Christmas morning 1864, Longfellow awoke like many other Americans, exhausted and emotionally worn from four unrelenting years of civil war. Caring for his dying son, who had been wounded in battle, Longfellow found little comfort in the news of the re-election of Abraham Lincoln and the recent advances of the Union army. 

This would also be the fourth Christmas since his wife’s tragic death, and his grief over her loss had turned to depression. Life for Longfellow was anything but ideal that day as he observed Christ’s birth.

However, life is never really ideal, is it? When Christ came to this Earth it was anything but ideal circumstances. In our 21^st century perceptive, it’s hard to imagine what Joseph and Mary went through; the fear and pain, not to mention the smells. But somehow between cattle lowing and a makeshift crib, God had come to us in his own pre-ordained way.    

For some reason the Lord likes to work in those non-ideal moments in life. Like children opening gifts on Christmas morning, we always seem to be in need of more; more food, more money, more time.  We aren’t satisfied with our unfilled desires, and our patience wears quickly as we wait upon our Heavenly Father to provide.

And somehow we think we can do it all alone. We can be our own provider, or we can right all the injustices of this world through our own passion and will. But that isn’t our job. And like Longfellow, we despair and are overwhelmed by this sin-rot world.

As I reflect on these words, I cannot seem to restrain the tears that well in my eyes as I sing the last two verses. Like the Psalmist, Longfellow is moved from despair to joy as he rests in the fact that even in a world of trouble, God is still on the throne.

– Merry Christmas

“Christmas Bells”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

December 25^th 1864

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime

A chant sublime

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!

Then from each thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent

And make forlorn

The households born

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

“There is no peace on earth,” I said;

“For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead;

nor doth he sleep!

The wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on Earth, good-will to men!”