January 21, 2025
What’s the worst thing to be in a Baptist church? The third verse of a hymn. Everyone just inherently knows not to sing that one. But the problem with that is that most hymns tell a story. If you leave a verse out, you leave out part of the story.
I grew up singing verses 1, 2, and 5 of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” That’s fine, nothing special. But when you sing the whole thing, you get to some real-life stuff in verse 3. “There is no peace on earth” and “hate is strong and mocks the song.”
If I had to guess I’d say verse three is exactly what some of us are feeling right now. As we close this first week of Advent where we’ve been celebrating the Hope that Jesus brings, we look around and that hope is hard to find. All around us people are hurting. Does God even care?
But, that’s why we need verse 4! “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, God is not dead nor does He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.”
Friend, if you are living in the middle of verse 3 today, can I encourage you that God does care, and He does see you. He’s still in control and the Hope of Advent reminds us that one day, all will be made right again, the wrong shall fail, and the right will prevail.
So, whether these days are full of celebration for you, or they are hard, I hope you will be encouraged that God is still on His throne and He cares about you. And that’s a reason to sing every verse at the top of your lungs!
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. music by John Baptiste Calkin)
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.
I 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.
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.”
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!
___
Lindsey McDonald is the minister to Children and Youth at Second Avenue Baptist Church in Rome, Ga. She is married to Dr. Bryan McDonald, director of Choral Activities/coordinator of Music and Worship Leadership at Shorter University.
