Advent Devotional Day 4- It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

By: John-Mark Echols, CEO and Founder of The Field’s Edge

Several thousand years ago, God faithfully delivered on a promise He had made from the very beginning of the world. The Messiah was born in Bethlehem after hundreds of prophecies had been made about him since the beginning of time. The first promise of the coming Savior can be found in Genesis 3:15, that though the serpent had deceived Adam and Eve, a promised one would come to crush the head of the serpent. This was the first of hundreds of precious promises about Jesus, but in this same chapter we also see the consequences of sin and how it will cause havoc in our lives. The chapter mentions that women will have increased pain in childbirth and conflict with their husbands. For men it says that the ground will be cursed and our work will be contaminated with thorns and thistles. Sin has really messed things up hasn’t it?

As a result of sin, sometimes the Holidays can be really hard for people. Grief can completely eclipse any goodness in the holiday season. It almost seems like our hardship is multiplied at Christmas because we can look around and see all of the happy people and be envious that we are struggling while everyone else seems to be so joyful. The truth is that sometimes this time of year is so difficult for people, but I have good news! Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. He lived a perfect life, suffered, and died on the cross so that all who would believe would be forgiven. On the third day He rose from the grave, defeating death and sin forever and He has promised to come back for His people. He promises a living hope and eternal life to all who put their faith in Him. He has made many precious promises to His people that we can be completely certain of, even in our darkest moments when we feel far from God.

In John Bunyan’s famous book The Pilgrim’s Progress, Bunyan sets a scene where two characters, Christian and Hopeful, are locked in the dungeon of Doubting Castle by Giant Despair. They had gotten off the straight and narrow path and ended up in the most terrible place. Just when they thought there was no hope, Christian remembers that he has a key around his neck called Promise that unlocks any door in Doubting Castle and they escape! The allegory uses the key to symbolize the promises of God and for the last few years I’ve worn a key around my neck as a reminder of God’s promises to me when things get tough. God always keeps His promises and He has made so many to us. It serves us well to know them, to treasure them, and to count on them.

For several years now, I have suffered from a chronic illness called Fibromyalgia that causes me almost constant intense pain, dizziness, cognitive difficulties, and more. When it’s at its worst, it affects every aspect of my physical and mental being and leaves me almost completely helpless and dependent. It has been a grueling journey and I have begged the Lord to take it from me and asked Him “why” many times. While I cannot say with certainty why the Lord in His sovereignty has seen fit to give me this condition, I can say with certainty that I believe that my Heavenly Father loves me and knows what He is doing. John Calvin in his Institutes said that God is like a Heavenly Doctor who administers the medicine of the cross to us to cure us of the disease of sin. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh that he asked the Lord to take away three times but God did not heal him. Instead, Paul’s thorn was ever-present in his life “to keep him from conceit”. I am learning to look for the ways that God is using my pain to make me more like Jesus, but many days I fight the temptation to be bitter and angry. 

I personally am heading into this Christmas season with some hesitation. For about a month now, I’ve been in a “flare” which basically just means that my body is going haywire. I’m living one day at a time and I look around and see people who are so happy and whose lives seem so perfect and I want that. I want to be able to sing along to all of the Christmas songs and mean it! But in this season, living day to day trusting the Lord to carry me, I don’t feel very joyful. 

As I’ve walked through this difficult season, it has been a major priority of mine to do everything I can to drag my rear into a pew on Sunday morning to hear the Word of God and sing His praises. Over the last few weeks we’ve done quite a few Christmas hymns, which if I’m honest have never been my favorite, but this Sunday I was so tremendously blessed by the third verse of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. 

“O 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.”

So friend, if you find yourself struggling this Christmas season, take heart! The reason we celebrate is because Christ has come. The Promised One was born and did everything He said He would do. 1 Peter 1 says that we have a “living hope” and that by faith in Christ, our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, and that it is kept for us by God in heaven.   So no matter what you are going through, if you trust in Jesus, He will carry you. That is a promise.

Here at The Field’s Edge we seek to know and to depend on the promises of God. We have seen Him demonstrate His faithfulness time and time again. We have experienced His transformative work in the hearts and lives of our neighbors. He is faithful! If you feel like you are carrying a crushing load; if you are toiling and climbing with slow and painful steps. Look! Christ has come for you! He has come to walk alongside you and to give you the strength to endure. He has promised you golden hours coming swiftly on the wing. On this day, let us rest beside the weary road, with a great hope, and hear the angels sing.