It is a beautiful song with even greater strength when we understand the story behind it.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem that became this song on Christmas day of 1864. The end of the Civil War was still several months away. His oldest son had been injured in battle, and his wife had died just three years prior.
Many of us would struggle with finding praise for God with those issues around us—death, injury and war. And yet Longfellow finds hope in God.
The verse that he is referring to is from the King James Version of Luke 2 where we read, “13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Although we may desire peace on earth, according to W. J. Durant, from 3421 years of documented history, there are only 268 years without war. This would also demonstrate that there is generally no “good will” between men.
However, it is possible that there was a different point that the angels were making.
A more accurate translation is found in the Holman Christian Standard Bible, “Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!”
The context of this statement comes from the angels announcing that God has chosen again to remind us of His presence in our lives and our world. The announcement is to say that God is still in control.
Can a man who has dealt with so much pain sing praises to God again? Can a Soldier who struggles with present and past battles sing those same praises?
Longfellow was eventually able to say, “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep! The wrong shall fail; the Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men!’”
Our Soldiers can know peace on earth as well. Maybe not free from physical battle, but we can know peace from the inner battles. When we trust God with every aspect of who we are, then we will know peace.
We know God’s favor because of the gift of His Son. Our sound, solid relationship with Christ is the demonstration of God’s favor.
A Soldier understands the concept of Lordship. Everyone wants a Savior; but submitting to Lordship is a different challenge. The Soldier though knows that they cannot control every aspect of an operation. They must trust those they work with and the orders that they are given. They must trust that those over them are competent in the design of their plan. We can all trust that the Designer has a design and plan, and we can leave all of it in His hands.
If we all seek to trust in Christ at the deepest levels of our lives, then we can know peace on earth. It will be a peace, based on a trust, which rests with our Savior, who was born as a child, announced by angels, and is Lord of all.
Merry Christmas
Posts
