Last week’s memo was about the carol Silent Night, focusing on a phrase from one of the lesser known verses: Here at least a healing light.
Today’s memo looks at another lesser known verse.
Silent Night, Holy Night
Mindful of mankind’s plight
The Lord in Heaven on high decreed
From earthly woes we would be freed
Jesus, God’s promise for peace.
Jesus, God’s promise for peace.
My favorite line is “Mindful of mankind’s plight.”
I imagine everyone of us, at some time, has had the idea that God just doesn’t understand what it’s like to be in my shoes, with my situation. And if he does understand, maybe he just doesn’t care.
A FURIOUS SQUALL
The disciples felt that way one time. We read about it Mark 4:35-41. Jesus and the disciples were in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. Up came, as the Bible calls it, “a furious squall.” The wind tossed the boat around as the waves crashed from all sides.
And Jesus, Mark says, was asleep in the stern, on a cushion. I love that little detail. While the disciples were in a panic over the storm, he was downstairs sleeping in heavenly peace … and comfort.
The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” You probably know what happened next. Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
And the disciples said among themselves, “Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey him?”
You may find yourself from time to time in the midst of a “furious squall” in your life. And it may seem that Jesus is asleep on a cushion, unaware of what is happening in your life.
THE ONE WHO IS MINDFUL
When this happens, remember this phrase: Mindful of mankind’s plight. He understands us more than we understand ourselves. He knows what’s going on, and he cares … and, most of all, he has the power to do something about it.
Jesus spoke to the wind and the waves the words that we so often need spoken into our lives: Peace. Be still. He came to bring us peace.
That was the announcement of the angels on the day of his birth:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:14 KJV)
He came to bring us peace. We ourselves are not capable of manufacturing anything of the sort. The headlines will tell you — your newsfeed will tell you — just exactly what we’re capable of creating in this world: Nothing but chaos and confusion. This is not only on a global scale; many of us have witnessed it first hand.
Inviting Jesus into your life fills it with peace that passes all understanding. From earthly woes we would be freed: Jesus, God’s promise for peace.
© 2019/2025. Today’s memo is taken from Steve’s series Sing We Now of Christmas.
