In 1868 Phillip Brooks penned the lyrics, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”. Of all the years that I have been singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, these lyrics leapt off the score this year like never before. I wonder what might have been on Brooks’ mind as he penned these lyrics?
Was it Mary- who was expecting a child, and not just any child but the Son of God, when she was a child herself AND in what seemed to be a fearful predicament for which women were disgraced (Lk. 1:26-35; Mt. 1:18-19)?
Was it Joseph- to whom Mary was pledge to be married and who feared what to do and what might be done to Mary (Mt. 1:18-20)?
Was it King Herod- who was troubled with fear at the news of not just the appearance of any other king but the Rightful Messiah King (Mt. 2:1-7, 12)?
Maybe it was the people- who, along with Herod, were fearfully distressed- perhaps they were not prepared to be in the physical presence of their God and Savior (Mt. 2:3, 3:2; Luke 3:3-8a)?
Or possibly it was the fear of a reverent expectant awe and amazement, like of the Shepherds and those whom they told, which Brooks had in mind (Luke 2:15-17)?
And what about THE HOPES OF ALL THE YEARS…
Victoria
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Check back next week to read about THE HOPES OF ALL THE YEARS!
With True Hope 
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