"A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices"

The song “O Holy Night” is one of my favorite Christmas songs.  I read a helpful that shares that this song was originally written by in 1843 as a French poem.  In 1855, it was translated to English by a minister named John Sullivan Dwight (https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2020/11/19/brief-history-o-holy-night-christmas-hymn-review).  The rest is history. 

I wonder if you’ve stopped to think about these words from the famous tune: “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.  A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices.  For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”  Humanity was enslaved to sin, waiting to be delivered.  And when they saw the truth of this special day – Christmas – there was “a thrill of hope” because it was a glorious new day.  Jesus the Lord is born! 

When I was putting all of this together, I heard a song on the radio that I’ve never heard before.  I could hardly believe the correlation to the content I was preparing for this blog.  Brandon Heath sings, “Outside everything is falling; the leaves, the light, the snow.  But inside every heart is longing for a thrill of hope…Come find the peace that passes understanding; come see the reason the angels sing.  Come all ye hopeless and all ye faithful: lying in a manger is the King of kings…it’s more than just another story.”  Later on in the song, he says, “Come find the wonder of a new beginning.  Come see the One who changes everything” (from his song titled “King of kings”).

One of my Christmas gifts was an animated film of “Pilgrim’s Progress”.  It’s a 2019 film that is based on John Bunyan’s work.  There is a powerful moment when Christian and his companion Hopeful are taken captive in the castle of Despair.  In this version, the very walls seem to whisper statements of misery and even suggestions of suicide (a fact that you wouldn’t catch without subtitles on).  The two pilgrims are completely overwhelmed, until they realize that they don’t have to give in to the feelings of despair.  They reason that the opposite of despair is hope.  I think Christian even says, “I have hope.”  As he does, a golden key appears.  With it, they manage to escape.

2020 has been a difficult year for all of us.  I could make my own list of frustrating circumstances, just as you can.  It can be easy to feel trapped in hopelessness and despair, just as Christian was.  What can be done about this?  How can you find hope in a distressing world?  The answer comes to us from the Bible.  On a very special night, the angel announced, “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10).  Hope came to mankind “wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger” (verse 11). 

When Jesus arrived, there was “a thrill of hope” because it was a new day.  Hope doesn’t come from possessions, pleasure, or power; it comes in a Person – Jesus the Christ.  Yes, life can hurt.  There are still distressing circumstances, pain, broken dreams, and sorrow, but there is always hope.  Because of Christmas, or better said, because of Christ.

Kevin