Yesterday was Christmas Day—unless you live on the other side of the world to Australia. In which case, it may still be the 25^th of December. Given it was a quieter celebration this year, our family watched a Christmas movie to wring out the last vestiges of the festivities before saying goodbye to Christmas 2022. As the movie, which was based on real events (love those) closed to credits, the background song played on, but in a moment the words gripped my heart—you know, those songs that really speak to you? I had to look up the artist.

Casting Crowns, 2008, ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’

℗ 2008 Provident Label Group LLC, a unit of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT; Arranger: Mark Hall & Dale Oliver

I won’t include all the lyrics, but these are the ones that grabbed my attention:

And in despair I bowed my head / There is no peace on earth I said / For hate is strong and mocks the song / Of peace on earth, good will to men

But the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth) / Like a choir singing (Peace on Earth) / Does anybody hear them? / Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth) / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men

After our movie watching last night, I took time to reflect on this extraordinary moment in history that literally changed our world forever. The turning point in time. As the bright lights, excitement, dining (and sometimes whining) of Christmas gave way to the post-Christmas shift towards newness and hope of a fresh year, those words kept cycling: ‘Then rang the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men’.

We’ve seen evil increase its visibility over the past few years. In some cases we’ve seen the ugliest side of humanity, which crafty, controlling, entities have done their best (or worst) to take advantage of. People are wearying in their stand for hope and the promise of a bright future. Some despair over whether it’s possible.

But peace speaks to the heart of this season in which we find ourselves. A peace that resists evil. A peace that eradicates fear. A peace that passes all understanding. A peace that breaks chains of hopelessness and torment. A peace that crumbles wicked plans. A peace that is greater than darkness and illuminates our future with brightness and hope, proclaiming goodwill and unveiling the truth: The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men.

From obscure beginnings that turning point in time—the birth of the Christ child—brought this promise to the whole world. Right WILL prevail over evil—no matter how much ‘reality’ decries this claim. Like night and day, evil must give way as we stand and speak peace to our circumstances. Impossible though it may seem at times, I am certain that this peace changes everything. Starting with us.

Merry Christmas to you all. Peace and great hope for a bright new year.