I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Henry W. Longfellow
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!
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!”
You're absolutely right, Anonymous. Lots of death is all around us. And you're experiencing much the same thing that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was experiencing when he recognized these things and responded with "There is no peace on earth, for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men."
ReplyDeleteBut the song goes on to recognize the full truth of the fact that God is not dead and is not sleeping. And just as he has promised us, "the wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth, good-will to men."
So although we have not seen this promised peace, all those who trust in Jesus' name will one day see first-hand when all wrong fails and the right prevails. And there will be peace on earth.