American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote these lyrics during a dark season. Two years previously his wife had been sealing envelopes with hot wax when the flame caught her clothes on fire. Henry, burned badly as well, was too sick to attend her funeral. For the remainder of his life, he covered up his facial scars behind a long beard. Christmas Day 1862 Henry wrote in his journal “A merry Christmas” say the children, but that is no more for me.”
NO PEACE ON EARTH
By 1863 the country tore itself apart in Civil War. Against Henry’s wishes (and fears) his son, Charles, enlisted in the army. No wonder Henry wrote: 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. In November, a bullet pierced Charles from back to shoulder, just nicking his spine. Henry traveled to Washington to retrieve his son from the hospital. Arriving at home December 8th, Charles began his extended convalescence. This was grief at its deepest.
God loved Henry in the midst. His love had not run out.
GOD IS NOT DEATH NOR DOTH HE SLEEP!
Slowly, Henry’s heart began to heal and turn back to God. Along with everything else, he experienced a dry season in writing. But then, sitting at his desk one morning he heard the church bells. Henry’s heart began to resonate with the return of hope. Hope for his son, hope for his family and hope for a nation torn apart by war. God began to wake his heart when he wrote: “Then pealed 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!” God had not departed.
THE BELLS PEAL FOR ETERNITY
The sinless One, Jesus Christ, came to bring hope: complete reconciliation between mankind and God. Because of this, Longfellow journaled: “I thought how as the day had come; the belfries of all Christendom had rolled along the unbroken song of peace on earth, good will to men. That’s why the bells peal for all eternity.” Will the bells peal for all eternity signaling that you have made peace with God via Jesus Christ? Even when grief is at its deepest, God has not departed. The season of darkness can pass.
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