“Good King Wenceslaus looked out, on the feast of Stephen. And the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel when a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.”
So begins one of my favorite songs about Christmas. It tells a story about a kind and good king who goes out to find a poor woodsman and give him some money. The snow is deep and the king’s page has trouble pushing through until he follows in the king’s footprints.
Anyway, my purpose in referring to Good King Wenceslaus is several-fold. Do you remember that yesterday I kept thinking the day was significant? I missed the Feast of Stephen (the day when the good king aided a poor man) by one or two days (depending on when you celebrate it). That Saint’s Day is in commemoration of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, who died rather than deny his faith in Jesus. Did you know that Christians throughout the world are dying because they are refusing to deny Jesus? Militant Islam is a frightening, horrible menace that we need to be aware of and pray about.
Secondly, this is a reminder that we are still in the Twelve Days of Christmas which include Christmas Eve through the night of January 5. We should care about and help others throughout the year but in this special season I think our hearts are more tender toward others. We are all needy in one way or another and we all crave the blessings and protection of God. It’s a time in particular for His love to shine through us.
And thirdly, sometimes life gets hard, especially if we, like the page in the song, want to push ahead through difficult times on our own. But, when we follow the Lord’s leading, the way becomes clearer. And we can help others by, if not breaking a way through the difficulties, at least walking alongside as we both follow our King.
Let’s see, is this the fourth day of Christmas? Today I’ll keep my eye out for those four calling birds and although it isn’t really the Feast of Stephen and I’m not a king and there is no snow and probably no woodsmen about, I am able to pray and perhaps I’ll find a way to lend a helping hand to someone.
As I read this, I have to admit it didn’t fit with what I knew of the lyrics. So I looked them up. And found that I inker l only knew the first half of the first, second, and fourth verses. When you know the WHOLE verse, an entirely different picture comes through. And I think my favorite is the last half of the fourth verse: Therefore Christian men be sure, wealth or rank possessing, ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.
I like that verse too, Missy. The older songs are often sermons in themselves with everlasting messages.
very good, gets us thinking
Thanks, Helen.