Devotions

The Bells Of Christmas Day

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

What can I write to get convince you about the sorrow of the world? Should I point to the stats and data of global Covid deaths? Do I wax poetic about the rise of authoritarianism in countries across the world? Or is this completely unnecessary, like convincing a fish that water is wet? What might be better is for you to think about what ways that death and pain has touched you personally this year. How have you suffered?

Advent is a time of longing and anticipation. Christmas is a time of longing fulfilled. It’s about the light breaking into the darkness, the dawn coming over the horizon, late rains pouring over an arid and thirsty land. It’s a time for you to think both big picture and small picture. Here’s the big picture:

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep 
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

In the grand timeline of human history, God has decisively shown that he is not absent, he is not ignorant or ambivalent to the pain of the world. He has not abandoned us or left us to our damnation. The small picture is you realizing that he is not absent in your life. He is not ignorant or ambivalent to your pain.

Why are you hurting? What has caused you sorrow? Where’s your anxiety? He is not dead or asleep. When you were far, he drew near. When you were in darkness, the light of the world entered, for you.

Daniel Shih