I heard the Bells on Christmas day was written by Henry Wodsworth Longfellow, a poem he wrote during the middle of the civil war. It flowed from his experience and heartache after the tragic death of his wife Fanny and the crippling injury of his son Charles from war wounds. "My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue" (Psalm 39:3).
You can read more about the history of this carol here:
The Lion Roars….
Heather’s post about her relationships, being in Haiti and Satan wanting to devour all that is good, really hit me today. Made me ache… along with Eric Ludy’s message on ”Depraved Indifference”. In fact, it could feel for a second that the two ideas might be opposed to each other…..but I think not.
Heather described, in talking about our enemy, “The lion is loud. There are days when it feels like he is sitting on our porch. There are days when I swear I can smell him in my kitchen. Roaring. Prowling. Ready to pounce, to maim...to kill...to destroy. So I find myself asking God for grace...for faith...”
Oh I echo that I echo that. I can see his scratches in words spoken and looks given to each other. I can see his wounds in the tears falling and shoulders shaking and brows furrowed.
The Lion roars and we despair. “in despair, I hung my head, there is no peace on earth I said, for hate is strong that mocks the song of peace on earth goodwill to men”.
But the bells are ringing.
My heart is heavy in ache. My young ones, there is much love and goodness that God would have you do, but we are wounded, hurting and in turn hurt. We so desperately need our prince of Peace….the Lion of Judah has victory over the enemy lion in his prowling destruction. Jesus will NOT let him prevail. I will not let him prevail.
I look at what the love of God does and wants to do with us, through us, and I despair over our “infighting” destruction and distraction. I do feel our (my) first focus are these relationships with each other, the ones hurting under my roof and how to help, nurture, heal; so, in God’s empowered grace, we can focus on His larger battle outside our four walls.
I am aching, stumbling, weak. On the verge of despair. Yet, I know, Jesus loves me… I am weak but He is strong.
Jesus is our peace. Right shall prevail.
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