Category Archives: Abide

Silent Night and why we can sleep in heavenly peace

Father Joseph Mohr, of Austrian German descent, wrote the lyrics to one of our more popular Christmas carols, Silent Night. Now over 200 years old, Silent Night was first sung on Christmas Eve, 1818, under the title, Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht. Franz Xavier Gruber is credited with writing the melody and sang with Mohr, who also played the guitar.

Silent Night became extremely popular and was translated into 300+ languages and was even bellowed on the battlefield during WW1! A most welcome but temporary truce came about on Christmas Eve and the soldiers sang Christmas carols from their home countries; Silent Night was proclaimed in German, English and French.

It was 1859 when the already popular tune was published in English by a priest in New York, John Freeman Young. In 1935, Bing Crosby recorded Silent Night and sold over 30 million copies.

Known around the world, Silent Night surely has some amazing stories that we haven’t even heard. While researching the song, I found that supposedly, in the Austrian alps, you are only allowed to sing or play the song on Christmas Eve. The creepy, and rather cruel, legend told to children is that someone will die if it is sung at any other time!

Even though this beloved song doesn’t necessarily have a dramatic back-story, it has brought joy, comfort, and peace to millions. For example, one of the coolest stories about this song comes from the country of Latvia, where The Sweetheart and I were blessed to be a part of a team sent to start churches in the capital city of Riga. When the beautiful Silent Night is sung or played, the Latvian people stand in reverence. When asked why, they respond, “Because we can.” 

Under Soviet rule for so many years, singing was taken away from them, including beloved Christmas carols such as Silent Night. Now free from occupation, they do not take it lightly to be able to sing in public and therefore, stand in honor and reverence, giving thanks to God for that Silent Night so many years ago when a Savior was born to redeem us all.

The words we sing today to Silent Night are vastly different than what Mohr had written over 200 years ago. Here are the original verses translated from German.

Silent night! Holy night!
All are sleeping, alone and awake
Only the intimate holy pair,
Lovely boy with curly hair,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, O how he laughs
Love from your divine mouth,
Then it hits us – the hour of salvation.
Jesus at your birth!
Jesus at your birth!

Silent night! Holy night!
Which brought salvation to the world,
From Heaven’s golden heights,
Mercy’s abundance was made visible to us:
Jesus in human form,
Jesus in human form.

Silent night! Holy night!
Where on this day all power
of fatherly love poured forth
And like a brother lovingly embraced
Jesus the peoples of the world,
Jesus the peoples of the world.

Silent night! Holy night!
Already long ago planned for us,
When the Lord frees from wrath
Since the beginning of ancient times
A salvation promised for the whole world.
A salvation promised for the whole world.

Silent night! Holy night!
To shepherds it was first made known
By the angel, Alleluia;
Sounding forth loudly far and near:
Jesus the Saviour is here!
Jesus the Saviour is here!

Remember as you sing this song this Christmas season, and you surely will, that because of Jesus, because He lives, because He overcame, we can too! We have hope of eternal life . No matter what is collapsing around us we can literally sleep in heavenly peace. Because of Jesus.

Holdju

Little boy, barely old enough to talk. A tiny guy of few words, he was always lovable. The last of three, he was definitely spoiled not only by his parents but by his two older brothers, one by 5 1/2 years the other by 11. He followed them around like a puppy, emulating their every move.

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He was everybody’s baby, passed around endlessly at church, fought over by teenage girls way before his time, with little blond curls that were just too hard to resist.

But when exhaustion had set in and he couldn’t take another step, he would melt everyone’s heart with two little words when he would come running up to  you, arms open wide like a funnel and say, “Holdju! Holdju!”

Whoever happened to be the recipient of his affection at the time would lean over, scoop him up and immediately that little head would plop on your shoulder. Victory.

He knew where to go, he knew what to do, he even knew what to say.

Hold you.

Do you? Know where to run when exhaustion has taken over your body, your mind and your very soul?

Do you? Know what to do when you cannot take another step, feel like your world is crashing in and even those closest to you can’t help?

Do you? Know what to say, how to cry out for help and be assured of a response?

When we have reached the end of our rope and are so overwhelmed with LIFE, Jesus is just waiting. Waiting for us to give in, to come running and to surrender to Him! He wants to scoop us up in His everlasting arms and give us the comfort, strength and peace that we so desperately need. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms!” Deuteronomy 33:27

Hold you, Jesus? Yes, if we can reach up and call on His name, He will respond.

Don’t be afraid to let Jesus know your need.

Reach up, call out and let Him holdju.

Kingdom2

Angels from the Realms of Glory: A rich and surprising story!

James Montgomery (1771-1854), was only a small five year old boy when his parents decided to go to the West Indies as missionaries. That was a far cry from their beloved Scotland and too dangerous for a small child so they put James in a Moravian community in County Antrim, Ireland. When he was seven, he was sent to a seminary in England and sadly, when he was only twelve, his parents died on the mission field.

James had been shuffled from boarding school to boarding school while his parents were sharing the Gospel. Being left behind affected James and he did not succeed in school. In fact, he failed at several things until he discovered he could write poetry.

When he grew up, he worked for The Sheffield Register, deemed a radical newspaper at the time. James eventually bought the newspaper when the owner had to flee the country to avoid being put in prison. He later renamed the paper The Sheffield Iris and used his paper to speak out against social injustice and slavery.

An Irishman, under English rule, Montgomery himself was imprisoned twice for sensitive political articles and his activity as a leader in the abolitionist movement. Slavery was legal at the time and Montgomery was using his paper to try and turn the tide and set the slaves free. He was thrown in prison on two different occasions because of articles that he had written. Each time he was released he went right back to the paper and fighting the war for two things: freedom for the slaves and also freedom from Great Britain for the Irish.

In a time of political upheaval and great disdain between the Irish and the British, each side would read Montgomery’s newspaper. One would be looking to inspiration that would draw more to their revolution. The government, on the other hand, would also read it looking for something to use against James Montgomery.

But on Christmas Eve, instead of more division, Montgomery surprised them all by reaching out to both sides with his poem, Angels from the Realms of Glory. The tune that soon accompanied it, Regent Square, was composed by the blind composer, Henry Smart (1813-1879). The name of the tune, Regent Square, was borrowed from the Presbyterian Church in London.

Montgomery went on to write more than 400 hymns.

So many good words in this Christmas carol that It seems as if James Montgomery discovered what his parents had given their lives for. He has touched thousands down through the decades with his words about the Christ child coming to Earth for man. I especially love the second stanza, God with man is now residing. Is He residing in YOU? Make sure you know Him, Christ IN you, the Hope of


Glory. To be able to come and worship Jesus is truly a great privilege and He has made a way for each of us to come to Him anytime, all the time.

Be sure and share this message, as James Montgomery did, and touch souls for eternity. Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Angels From the Realms of Glory
Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story,
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant Light;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Nannette-Christmas

DF cover side viewDo you have your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional? Fasting season is coming up soon, although we know ANY day is a good day to fast. This devotional is also good for any type of fast! Get yours today in Kindle or paperback here!