Silent Nights
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7
One of the world’s most beloved Christmas carols is Silent Night – the beautiful and familiar melody that invites us into the quiet, holy night of Jesus’ birth.
The prophet Isaiah described a different, significant silent night six hundred years before our Savior’s birth. He painted a heart-wrenching picture of Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, during His final hours on earth. Though oppressed and unjustly condemned, Jesus remained silent. During His arrest, His trial, and even as He hung on the cross, His words were few.
Many people find themselves in a season marked by silence at Christmas. Not the peaceful kind, but the lonely, aching silence of unspoken grief, unanswered prayers, or deep personal suffering. If that’s where you are, take comfort in knowing that Jesus understands. He knows the pain of suffering in silence.
Listen in the silence to His voice. He promises that in our darkest, quietest nights, He is with us. We are never truly alone. As He reassured His disciples after His resurrection, He reassures us today: “I am with you always, to the very end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20).
Dear Jesus, thank You for being with me in my darkness and fear. It’s comforting to know that You understand the depths of my suffering and that You are with me, even in the most silent of nights. Help me to feel Your holy presence, especially when words and comfort seem distant. Thank You for being my constant companion. In Your name I pray, AMEN.
