What was true thousands of years ago, is still true today. God comes into our lives unexpectedly, not forcing himself on us but rather patiently and quietly waits for our hearts to respond to him.

That’s what we see in the lyrics of the classic carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” We may sing the song in a rote manner, thinking the words are only about the birth of Christ 2000 years ago and have no relevancy today. Take a look at some of the lyrics though:

Verse 3
How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Verse 4
O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

A Gift for Us Today
Still today, God silently gives his gift of life to new believers. They didn’t hear or see him coming but they were open to it and God the Holy Spirit entered into them. For Christians, verse 4 could represent our daily need to confess and repent, and to receive his forgiveness. Every day, we need to invite Christ in.

The gift that God gave to the world over 2000 years ago is the same gift he continues to give today. The gift of his son. Those who accept the gift, who let Christ in, receive the blessings of heaven, forgiveness for the things they’ve done wrong, and eternal life. We simply have to accept the gift and not leave it under the tree. Everytime someone accepts the gift, Christmas comes once more.

Not Forgotten
Here’s the other things I like about this carol. It reminds me of Micah 5:2 (NLT): “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.”

Bethlehem was a lowly, forgotten village. It paled in comparison to Jerusalem. It may not have equaled Bethany or Capernaum. Yet God didn’t overlook Bethlehem. He chose it to go down in history, in spite of the location’s relative obscurity. And that’s the way it is for us too. We may have insecurities or an inferiority complex but God sees us. He knows us. He hasn’t forgotten any of us. He loves us. All of us.

“The dark night wakes, the glory breaks and Christmas comes once more.”