Carol: “O Holy Night” –Translated from the French by John S. Dwight (1813-1893)
Tune: CANTIQUE DE NOEL (Adolphe Adam)
Identification.
When you list the attributes of Christ, you may overlook this one, but
the fact is that part of his mission to earth was to identify with those
whom his Father had created. His having walked several hundred miles in
our shoes made it possible for him – even now in his glorified state –
to empathize with us human pilgrims.
I think I
understand the concept of Christ having knowledge of my needs even
before I voice them; that has been drilled into me from my earliest days
of neediness. However, I am struck in this carol by the line “to our weakness (Christ) is no stranger.” I’m more familiar with “I am weak, but thou art strong,”
but THAT is looking at this from a different perspective. Being no
stranger to my weaknesses points out this identification attribute. He
does not stand to the side as the strong silent type and wonder what I’m
facing; he stands inside, seeing it from my perspective and whispers,
“I know what you’re going through. I’ve been there.”
So,
my fellow needy weak friends, the name Emmanuel can take on a deeper
meaning for us during these days leading up to Christmas. Christ truly
is WITH us in all our struggles... still.
Carol Sung by Home Free
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