Silent Night
Christmas Eve has a way of pressing pause on the calendar, even if only for a moment. The lights glow a little warmer. The sounds grow a little softer. Beneath the wrapping paper and schedules, there is a quiet invitation from God to slow down and remember what this night is really about. It is an invitation many of us desperately need, especially when life has felt busy, heavy, or unsettled.
The hymn “Silent Night” was written during a season of turmoil. Austria was emerging from the Napoleonic wars, and peace had been hard to find. Yet a young priest, Joseph Mohr, walked through a snow covered village and was struck by the stillness around him. That silence stirred words that have comforted generations. The hymn reminds us that holiness often meets us not in noise or spectacle, but in quiet trust.
That same truth is echoed in Psalm 46, written centuries before Jesus was born. The psalm opens with a powerful declaration. “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” This is not wishful thinking. It is a confident statement of faith. God is not distant or distracted. He is present, dependable, and near when life feels unstable.
The psalm goes on to say that because God is our refuge, we do not have to fear, even when the world feels like it is falling apart. Mountains falling, waters roaring, nations in uproar. These are vivid images of chaos and uncertainty. Yet the message is clear. God’s presence changes how we face fear. Christmas tells the same story. God entered our broken world not to observe it from afar, but to be with us in it.
One of the most beautiful pictures in Psalm 46 is the image of a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God. Rivers soothe, refresh, and sustain life. They also carry great strength. This image reminds us that God’s peace is not fragile. It flows steadily beneath the surface, offering hope and renewal even when circumstances remain difficult. The peace Christ brings does not depend on silence around us, but on His presence within us.
The psalm repeats a phrase that becomes central to the Christmas story. “The Lord of Armies is with us.” Matthew tells us that Jesus would be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. The Creator stepped into creation. The all powerful God chose the humility of a manger. The One who could command armies came as a child of peace. This is the heart of Christmas. God has always desired to be with His people.
All of this builds toward one of the most familiar and challenging commands in Scripture. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness does not come naturally to us. We prefer to fix, manage, and control. Yet stillness is an act of faith. It is the decision to trust God with what we cannot carry. It is the acknowledgment that God is God, and we are not.
On Christmas Eve, that invitation feels especially meaningful. The baby in the manger would one day stand in the middle of a violent storm and speak the same words. “Be still.” And the wind and waves listened. Tonight, we listen. We choose to lay down fear, noise, and striving. We choose to rest in the truth that God is present and faithful.
As the candles are lit and the silence settles, may our hearts find peace in this simple assurance. The Lord of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Christmas is not just about remembering what God has done. It is about trusting who He is, here and now. May this holy night remind us that we are never alone, and that in stillness, God meets us with grace.