O Holy Night

Matthew 11:28

I should have kept a tally of how many times I listened to O Holy Night in preparation for this week’s Connect Devotional. I listened to various artists sing it in many different styles; I listened while driving, while walking the dog, and while sitting on the porch watching the kids play. It’s a song I’ve enjoyed at Christmas time my whole life, so imagine my surprise when upon looking up the lyrics I discovered it has a “forgotten” verse! Of all the artists I listened to not one sang the second verse. Do you know it?

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here come the wise men from the Orient land.

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;

In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, to our weaknesses no stranger,

Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!

The line that captures me most is “He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger.” The heart of the Christmas story and the Gospel that contains it is this: in Christ, God chose to be personally acquainted with our weakness, weariness, and burdens. Jesus knows the wearying hardships we face on an even deeper level than we do, because he lived a life without sin. Sin eventually overcomes us, we eventually fall down or give up, but He did neither. We can take him at his word when he says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) 

In our earthly doings, is it not a great comfort when we encounter someone who has walked the same roads and been through the same experiences as we have? We have that solace in Jesus. He knows our need! The weakness we try to conceal is not hidden from him, and still He remains at our sides! That is truly a thrill of hope. What a reason for our weary hearts to rejoice!

Thank you, God, for seeing straight through to our needs and remaining ever faithful. Thank you for new perspectives on your love for us through familiar songs, and thank you for giving our weary hearts a reason to rejoice!