O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
This Sunday we are starting a new Advent series titled “Yet In Thy Dark Streets Shineth…” In preparation, I spent some time contemplating the lyrics of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (where the title comes from). A few things really stick out to me. First, the town of Bethlehem is described as being in a ‘deep and dreamless sleep’. I can relate. I’ve had those nights where sleep was just that – sleep. Nothing special happening. Nothing going on worth note. Day after day the stars go silently by and prayers seem to go unanswered. The longing for God to come and bring salvation, to bring relief from the oppression of the world and freedom from sin – it seems to go unfulfilled. This was Bethlehem – a city just waiting out the days, longing for God to come. Yet in those dark streets, the light of God shines. That’s the 2nd thing – the light doesn’t come in the midst of the shine and glamor of Jerusalem, but in the still darkness of Bethlehem. Looking back through the bible stories, and God often works that way. He promises faithfulness to Moses in his old age. He provides for the nation in the middle of the desert. He choses the young shepherd boy who wasn’t even considered worthy to be in the line up as king. In the dark and dreamless world of Bethlehem, the everlasting light shines, bringing with it the answers to all the hopes and fears. Fears of life unfilled and lacking a true way to righteousness. Hopes of a people waiting on salvation. Hopes for healing and relief from the fear of brokenness – Jesus comes as the light in the midst of the dark and dreamless lives. And He still does. In our lives today when all seems to be dark and dreary, hopes seem unfulfilled and fears seem to have no way to overcome – the life of Jesus shines.
The world today may continue to seem dark, yet in these dark streets shineth the everlasting light.