As much as I love singing, "Silent Night", I'm questioning how much silence there really was. For example, a birth with no moans of pain? A shelter shared with animals and no swishes, snorts or whinnying? A city teeming with visitors coming to register for the census? (It doesn't take much imagination to visualize the crowded streets and probable partying going on.) While I've no doubt there was a holy hush accompanying the actual arrival of the Christ Child, I tend to think Mary and Joseph expressed their joy and amazement to each other in emotionally charged sentences. Even if all those suppositions are incorrect, God Himself broke the silence!
Take that hillside scene: We're told that the first reports of the birth of Christ took place one dark night. An unknown group of despised shepherds were huddled together, caring for their flock, when the heavens split in an extravaganza of light and sound. From the realms of heaven God shouted out the message to a ragtag bunch of homeless tenders of sheep. They, not kings or politicians, were the first to be bathed in light, enveloped in glory and overwhelmed by the message of grace. No matter how tired, cold, hungry or discouraged they might have been, those fellows strapped on their sandals and hit for Bethlehem. No one was going to beat them to the birthplace of the Messiah and I simply cannot believe they went quietly.
Add to that, heavenly choirs, whoops of excitement and the multiplied thuds of feet running to share the news news. You can be sure no one whispered!
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9)
Experience the wonder of it all then try keeping it quiet!
