The Soul Felt Its Worth
by Terri Copeland Pearsons
"O Holy Night. The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ’til He appeared and the soul felt its worth."
We have some lovely Christmas traditions in our family, as well as our church. Perhaps my favorite church tradition is singing "O Holy Night" at our Christmas Eve candlelight service. All the busyness of Christmas fades into the darkness as we gather close to our families and listen to that glorious song. My daughter, Aubrey Oaks, usually leads, making it even more special to me. The words of "O Holy Night" have always stood out to me, even as a preteen. I recall a songbook that came with the new family piano. After thumbing through for a song I might be able to play, it was "O Holy Night" that caught my attention. I studied the words carefully: “And the soul felt its worth.” I was uncertain what that meant, but it seemed the writer was describing a sense of self-worth that did not exist before the birth of Jesus. Somehow His birth placed a value on men's souls that could be felt. What warmth came through that phrase!
What is the value of the soul? In fact, what is the soul? Most people use the word soul interchangeably with spirit, but there is a difference. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
12 : BVOV
