I Heard the Bells

I was at the mall to do some Christmas shopping. As I was entering, I heard some yelling and I thought I heard the name "Jesus". As I got closer, more yelling and a man approaching in a bright yellow shirt. On his shirt it read in big bold letters, "REPENT! JESUS IS COMING!". Not far behind him were 3 police officers. Not mall cops. Actual policemen.

I got inside and folks were still in a murmur of what had just occurred. One of the officers came in behind me and gave a nod to a group that appeared more disturbed than everyone else.  I put the pieces together and thought how sad. He has good intentions but going about it the wrong way. The result was a poor representation of Jesus.

These are hard days. Terrorist, wars, politics rule the news and most of is bad. Folks being offended by "Merry Christmas". It's a holiday pageant rather than a Christmas pageant. School choir directors changing the words from "O holy night" to "O solstice night". Craziness. 

When I was finished with one of my transactions, I said "Thank you. Merry Christmas." The gal looked up at me and replied in a soft voice as if sharing a secret, "I can't say that, but, same to you." And smiled. 

Later, I was sitting, sipping my mocha and texting my wonderful wife, an attractive couple were coming my way. I noticed them because thet looked like they just stepped out of magazine. One of those If you had a lot of money you'd look like this magazines. Except, they didn't look happy. In fact, they looked downright PO'd. At each other. Sure enough, as they walked by me, their words for one another weren't romantic let's say. 

This is Christmas, yo! 

When I got to my truck, this song was on the radio. It was written during the Civil War. Our nation was not at peace. The real meaning of Christmas was not on the collective minds of its peoples and the song raises that point. But, look at the end of the song. As the nation is at war with itself then, and much like we are today, it raises the point of hope...  

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

and wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

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!"

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."

God is not dead, nor doth He sleep. 

God is in control and proved it with the birth of Jesus. Jesus, with the one purpose of saving us from ourselves. Born to die so that we may live. 

So the world is mess, people seem crazier than ever and things look bad all over. We have a God that loves us and a Savior with outstretched arms saying "Trust Me, I got you"

Amen