Enemy At The Gate

 

"First the Germans would sing one of their Carrols and then we would sing one of ours, until we started up 'O come all ye faithful' the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles, and I thought, this is really a most extraordinary thing - two nations both singing the came Carrol in the middle of a war"

Graham Williams, Fifth London Rifle Brigade

World War 1 went down in history as one of the bloodiest, costliest wars in human history.  The bloodbath seemed to transcend the limits with which mankind punished one another.  Yet, in the midst of this destruction arose a single moment of peace.  On December 24th, 1914, Christmas eve, soldiers along the western front of the battlefield began to sing the traditional hymns they remembered.  First the British then their German enemy began singing.  It wasn't long before, in the midst of the Carrols, that a few British and German soldiers lay down their weapons and began to cautiously approach the enemy lines.  As the singing continued, more men joined in until there stood in no man's land a multitude of soldiers who only moments before had stood as bitter enemies.  These men agreed to what some would call a 'Christmas truce' among the soldiers in their part of the hell of war.  Gifts were exchanged.  Photos of home and family were shown.  There are even rumors that a soccer game was arranged between the two sides, but it has been difficult to confirm.  What is it that brought these two warring sides suddenly to a temporary peace?  Memories?  Memories of home and of the traditions of Christmas?  Perhaps.  Perhaps these men, having already witnessed the worst humanity had to offer, had simply had enough.  Whatever the reason, the evening began with the singing of traditional hymns celebrating the birth of a child.  That child being our Lord Christ Jesus.  The prophet Isaiah spoke that one of the names Jesus would be known as is Prince of Peace {Isaiah 9:6}.  On a cold night in the middle of one of the bloodiest wars in human history, soldiers from two warring sides lay down their weapons to celebrate the birth of this Prince of Peace.  

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 

1 John 4: 18 NKJV 

Moments such as this are difficult to come by it seems.  Moments where we are at peace with all that surrounds us.  All of the bad news.  All of the negative people.  All of which the world has to throw at us.  How is it that we can find peace with the enemy at the gate?  Growing up, my mother knew all too well that the world was not hospitable place.  She was faced with the pressures of raising two kids on her own.  How did she find peace in those moments?  Through the Prince of Peace.  Time and again, she would be on her knees in prayer because she knew that even though it might seem that things were crashing down around her, that Jesus was her constant rock of stability.  She understood that she could not overcome much without Him.  I wish that my mother would have known Jesus the way that I have come to know Him during her life, but I know that He was the love of her life nonetheless.   Jesus had more than earned the name Prince of Peace long before that night in France in 1914.  Many a Jew had expected His birth to bring about a revolution against the Roman occupiers of Israel.  Yet what He did was much more lasting.  Indeed, the Roman empire has long since disappeared, yet Christ Jesus remains.  As we celebrate this Christmas season, we also celebrate the birth of the child who not only is our peace, but our life as well.  

~Scott~