Miracle in a Small Town

Many times I have driven through Monticello, Kentucky on Christmas morning on the way to my parents house. The quiet streets and the stillness of the moment let me know that people were indeed at home spending Christmas with their families. What remained, in all its serenity, revealed a simple, but humble, nostalgic quality of a town that is endearing. Kentucky These charming traits, combined with its history, is something sweet to cherish.

Seeing God's beauty in places like Monticello is a common theme across the world. Qualities that define God's nature are seen, not just in grand miracles, but in everyday creation. The Bible speaks of places where God's glory shines. Seeing the quiet beauty of my little corner of the world in trips to my parents' home on Christmas morning reminds me of the story of that first Christmas morning.

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:8-11).

The beautifulness of God's handiwork is not only seen in a drive through town, but you can also find it in a walk in the woods, or in a quiet sunset, or in a gentle breeze. Asking God to open your eyes to see His presence in everything will give you the perspective that God isn't just confined to grand events or holy buildings.

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" tells the story of Jesus' birth in a humble town, a small place on a quiet night for such a momentous event. The song was written in 1868 by Phillips Brooks, a minister at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia. The words resonated themes of stillness and peace, reflecting hope in the aftermath of the Civil War.

While Brooks was not Abraham Lincoln's pastor, when the president’s slain body arrived in Independence Hall in Philadelphia on April 22, 1865, he had delivered the eulogy. The event served as a massive emotional release for a grieving nation. Hundreds of thousands of mourners had filed past the open casket in the Assembly Room, the same place where the Declaration of Independence was signed,

After that, Brooks took a sabbatical to Bethlehem. It was Christmas Eve when he attended a service at the Church of the Nativity. The visit had a profound impact on him, and he was inspired by the peaceful, humble atmosphere of the town, and the world-changing birth that occurred there.

At first, the song was a poem. The church's organist, Lewis Redner, was asked to put it to music. Trying as he did, he could not come up with an appropriate melody. One night he went to bed feeling defeated. It was the night before the Christmas Eve service. During his fretful sleep it seemed that he heard music. Immediately, he got up and wrote it down just as we sing it today. When he presented it to Rev. Brooks he said, "I think it was a gift from heaven."

The carol emphasizes that Jesus entered this world through a small, seemingly insignificant town, fulfilling prophecy found in Micah 5:2, and showing God's plan often works through humble means...the peaceful, quiet night of the first Christmas.

"O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

Merry Christmas!

(A story that I wrote for the Wayne Weekly)