O Little Town of Bethlehem

I've been asked to introduce a song tonight at our Christmas Eve service, and I'd like to share my little intro with you as well.

The song is O Little Town of Bethlehem. It was written by well known American preacher Phillip Brooks in 1868 several years after a trip to the Holy Land. Spending Christmas Eve in Bethlehem and worshipping in the Church of the Nativity, thought to be the place of Christ's birth, left a lasting impression on him. Three years later, he was searching for a new carol for his children to sing in their Sunday School Christmas program. With his visit to the Holy Land still a vivid memory, he was inspired to write this text.

Brooks gave a copy of the carol to his organist and Sunday School superintendent, Lewis H. Redner and asked him to compose a simple melody that children could easily sing. Redner struggled to contrive just the right tune for his pastor's text. On the evening before the program was to be given, he awoke from his sleep and wrote the present melody, insisting that the tune was a gift from heaven. The carol was an immediate favorite with the children, and continues to be a favorite with children and adults to this day.



O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may his His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

***

In this age of information, books and television shows might lead you to believe that the Nativity story is a complicated one, sighting archeological and historical evidence of every minute detail; calling into question the number of wise men and various other details within the story. But the truth of the matter is this - The story of the birth of Christ is simple yet powerful. God came to earth, born of the Virgin Mary to save us.

The same could be said about our faith. While following Christ is not always easy, it is most assuredly simple:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. ~ Mark 12:30-31

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16

Love ~ Live ~ Serve