Deconstructed Christmas Carols-Part II

By C. Sampson
As promised, here is the second song of our Christmas carol rewrite series. I hope that these give you a new appreciation for the author’s heart and a better picture of the Christmas story. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear:

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Late one night, a night no different than any other, angels came to earth proclaiming that God had sent a way for men to have true peace and relationship with Him. The message, so glorious and profound, left the audience in silent stillness as they longed to hear every word.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.

For centuries God’s creation has been crushed under the weight of its own sin. Man has struggled and fought against the God who made him and against himself. Even as the angels bring their good news, many are distracted by the chaos of the world and do not hear. Stop! Be quiet! Listen to the words God’s messengers have brought.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

If you are one of those who feels that life is unbearable, breaking you down and inflicting pain every minute you remain on this earth, if you feel lost in the chaos, it doesn’t need to be this way. Look! Listen! The messengers of God have come to let you know that rest and peace are available. God’s mercy comes quickly, just stop and hear His words to you.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

This message is not for tomorrow, it is for today. The days are passing quickly and the day when God will return is drawing ever closer. As has been prophesied, God will bring ultimate peace when He takes back His creation from the grips of sin. Will you be ready when He ushers in the next age? A time when all will proclaim the glory of God and those who believe will fully see true peace and the magnificence of God.