A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices bible verse

“Weary” is perhaps the word that most fittingly describes many of us at this time of year. Many are weary of the pressure Christmas brings. Some are weary of the divisiveness and the politicising that has engulfed our society. Others are weary of living under the expectations of others. There are many things that make us weary of living in this world. But before the coming of Christ there was a deep and besetting weariness that hung over the nation of Israel and the entire earth. It was this idea that the poet, Placide Cappeau, expressed in the first verse of O Holy Night. He wrote:

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;
Long lay the planet in sin and error pining,
‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

What was this weariness that burdened the people who lived before the coming of Christ? In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul tells us that it was the weariness and bondage of law keeping. Those living at that period in covenant relationship with God did so within the rigours of the Mosaic law, with all its string

Advent | A Thrill of Living Hope

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices…

I can ponder of no better way to describe the state of our world than this line from “O Holy Night”—we are a weary people. Coming from what feels like almost two years of constant uncertainty, tragic events, and division over countless issues, I see that many people, including myself, are tired. There is a weariness that has set in with the burden of living in a broken world. But also, as the song states, there is a hope we have as believers that leads us to rejoice in the midst of weariness. This hope is so much more than simply thinking about the better times that will come. It invades every corner of our lives, transforming us in the most beautiful way. And now, during this Advent season, is a fitting period to not only meditate on this hope that we are given, but also to unequivocally cling to it.

We are born to a living hope.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
– 1 Peter 1:3–9

As I own been reflecting on the birth of Christ this sea

O Holy Night: A Favorite Christmas Hymn

O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the prized Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh darkness divine
Oh night divine

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here appear the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is care for and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name

I’ll never forget that make-it-or-break-it moment in my marriage. “Dave,” asks my wife with a solemn look on her face. My stomach drops. My heart pounds, as I turn to notice a wide-eyed, solemn stare. “What is it, Mindy?” She loo

A Weary World Rejoices

(Read Isaiah 9:6-7, Romans 13:12)
By Guest Author

One Christmas Eve many years ago, my sister and I drove about 30 miles to attend a friend’s church instead of our home church. Neither one of us actively worshipped at the church we grew up in as children. For that matter, neither one of us actively worshipped anywhere except maybe on Christmas and Easter. I don’t recall why we decided to drive all that way on Christmas Eve, but I will never forget the divine encounter from that night’s service.

This church featured a very talented harmony ministry. There were choir arrangements, instrumentals, and ensemble performances. Harmony can be very moving by itself, but when the note behind it is equally mighty, it becomes exponentially more meaningful. As long as I reside, I will always remember an a cappella performance of O Holy Night.

“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the beloved Savior’s birth;
Long lay the earth in sin and error pining,
‘Till he appeared and the spirit felt its worth.”

I had heard the song before but I had never really listened to it. Never opened up to it’s s

The Thrill of Hope

As I sit down to write this post, it is the month of August. Last week, we hit high temps in the upper 90’s that felt like 110+ degrees outside. As the Romans used to say, we are in the dog days of summer. So, why is Christmas on my mind? Because at the beginning of chapter 20 of Revelation, we read about the 1000-year reign of Christ, and this should prompt hope in us. Yes, there are lots of thoughts on just what the millennial reign of Jesus is or will be. This post is not going to attempt to explain them. But, what John writes about in the opening verse of Revelation 20, reminds us that this age and its brokenness will not last or go on forever. And that is good news! That is hopeful news!

 

And, so, Avent comes to my mind. Advent is the four Sundays leading up to Christmas and is a time when we look back in remembrance of Jesus’ first advent (arrival) and look forward to his second advent, his return. It is a season where we are to be filled with hope. Why? Because we remember when the Light broke through the darkness, and we know he is coming back to restore it all. With that in mind, here is a post I read a few years ago, one of the most fa