Silent Night!! Will WE Remain Silent?

This anonymous devotion spoke to my heart as I read the words. I even took the time to read the words again. I wanted to soak in the truth that was being shared as well as examine my need to apply this truth to my life. Will I (you) continue to sing and worship even during the difficult and challenging times? Will I choose to allow the "noise" around me drown out my praises to God? I (you) may be called on to make the difficult choices in life when it comes to standing strong in my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!!

Musicians' Daily Devotion:  "Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany determined to take over the German church and dictate the nation's religion.  He falsely accused many of the clergymen of treason, theft, or immoral practices; thus priests, nuns, and church leaders were arrested on trumped-up charges.  Religious publications were suspended.  Hitler encouraged couples to be married by state officials rather than by priests and pastors.  In 1935 he outlawed prayer in the schools and he did all he could to replace Bible-reading with Nazi propaganda.  

     

He had greater difficulty with the holidays because Germans had faithfully observed Easter and Christmas for centuries.  Carols and nativity plays were banned from the schools in 1938, and even the name Christmas was changed to Yuletide.  Holy days became holidays and the sacred was secularized.  

     

Sound familiar?  Today we're amazed to observe the same thing happening in America as social libertarians, seemingly aided by the media and the courts, trying to rob Christmas of its true meaning.  I implore you, along with me, to do whatever it takes to help others stay focused on Him during the season - to proclaim His birth, His life, His death and resurrection...how He was sent to earth to redeem mankind on that silent, starry night of long ago.  

     

Be determined as the Christians in Nazi Germany who still stood and sang in church the beautiful carols of Christ's birth.  One of those songs we all know from memory is "Silent Night."  I particularly love to sing it in German (it originally was written in German and accompanied by guitar) for, in some way, it seems to help me negate the attempt by Hitler to stamp out Jesus Christ:

                                               

               Stille Nacht

      Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,

      Alles schlaft; einsam wacht

      Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.

      Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,

      Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

      Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!     (Anonymous)