The Silent Word is Pleading

As I began to write about this song, "What Child Is This?", I really began to wrestle with its lyrics. While many of us tend to turn our attention to the most well-known portions of the song, namely only its first verse, we often skip over the second verse, whether it be for time's sake or maybe because it's not as well known. I was one of the few (or maybe many) of us who, unfortunately, didn't even know that this verse ever existed, but I'm glad I found out that it does.

"Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and donkeys are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spears shall pierce Him through,

The cross He bore for me, for you,

Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary." - (taken from Metrolyrics)

Fit For a King

When I think of a king, I think of grandeur, royalty, superiority, and one with greatness and great possessions. To be a king, one must have strength, power and influence. One must be impressive and be able to cause change.

Jesus didn't come to earth in this way.

When I think of a king, I think of a conquering ruler, one who's fought many battles and wars, willing to do whatever it takes to advance his mission. 

Jesus didn't come as a vigilant ruler. That wasn't His purpose.

A king surely wouldn't be born in a manger with ox and donkeys surrounding Him. He wouldn't travel with twelve other men from various walks of life - all sinners, preaching of a "kingdom of God," only to be eventually betrayed by one of those that was close to Him. Let alone, a king would never suffer and die the death of the cross - that manner of living just isn't fitting for our view of a king.

But that's the thing - it's our view of how a king should appear. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, came to earth not with trumpets blasting. We, being humans, could imagine Jesus coming to bring immediate justice, change, and the end of all our suffering, but He Himself suffered on earth. Jesus, the Word made flesh, came and dwelt amongst us, being the Light of God that shines brightly into the darkness of this world. The Prince of Peace came humbly, but with the mission of bridging the gap between us and God that sin had filled.

Each strike, bruise, wound and pierce was taken all out of His love for us.

Just as He lovingly bore our sins on the cross, rising again in victory, He waits for each of us to come and reason with Him (Isaiah 1:18). Hew is waiting patiently at the door of your heart, knocking (Revelation 3:20).

Let Him in.




SDG