In the bustle of the Christmas season, when the shopping centers are hopping and hurried crowds run to and fro, a fifth century traditional carol invites us into a quiet reverence: “Let all mortal flesh keep silence.” As part of one of the oldest Christian liturgies, it’s not a song of bells and rejoicing, but of awe and wonder. Its solemn words take us to the very heart of Christmas—the staggering reality that the infinite God entered our broken world as a helpless child.

The opening line, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand” captures something that we too often forget in the rush of the season. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is not just a heartwarming story; it’s the greatest miracle in history. God became man. Pause for a moment and let that sink in. The Creator of the universe wrapped Himself in human flesh to rescue His people. This is the wonder that should still our hearts and leave us speechless.

The Astounding Wonder of the Incarnation

The incarnation is God’s answer to the deepest cries of the human heart. We long for peace in a world torn by conflict. We ache for love in a culture filled with division. We yearn for hope in the midst of despair. And here, in the tiny town of Bethlehem, lying in a manger, is God’s answer: Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

Jesus didn’t come as a distant rescuer. He came as one of us. He entered into our pain, our struggles, and our humanity. He cried as a baby, worked as a carpenter, and walked the dusty roads of Galilee. He experienced hunger, exhaustion, rejection, and suffering. And yet, He was without sin. Why? So that He could stand in our place, bearing our burdens and taking our punishment on the cross.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:6-8: “Though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

The incarnation shouts to us that God is not distant or unconcerned. He is the God who comes near. In Jesus, we see the depth of God’s love and the lengths He would go to save us. This is why the hymn declares, “Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.”

Victory for the Struggling

Christmas can be a difficult time for many. For some, it’s a season of loneliness. For others, it’s a reminder of loss. And for many, it’s a struggle to find joy in the midst of life’s hardships. But the incarnation speaks directly to these struggles.

Because Jesus became flesh, He understands. He knows what it’s like to be weary, to feel sorrow, to carry burdens. Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

And because He understands, He can also give us what we need. He doesn’t just sympathize with us; He saves us. The baby in the manger grew up to be the Savior on the cross. Through His death and resurrection, He defeated sin, death, and the devil. The victory is won, and because of Him, we have hope that cannot be shaken.

This is the triumph proclaimed in the hymn: “King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth He stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood; He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food.” Christ doesn’t just come to observe our struggles—He enters into them to redeem them. He gives Himself to us, sustaining us with His grace and filling us with His strength.

An Invitation to Wonder

The carol calls us to silence—not the silence of despair, but the silence of wonder. In the incarnation, God has given us everything we need: forgiveness for our sins, peace for our hearts, and hope for a completely victorious future.

So this Christmas, take time to be still. Ponder the wonder of wonders–Emmanuel, God with us. Let’s rejoice that the King of kings came not in power, but in humility, to rescue His people. And let’s carry this victory of the incarnation into every area of our lives–our homes, our work, and our relationships. Share the good news with a world in desperate need of hope.

“Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand…” Not out of terror, but because we stand before the greatest mystery: Holy God became perfect Man. He loved us enough to step into our world to make us His own.

This Christmas, let’s worship Him in awe and gratitude. He is the light in our darkness, the joy in our sorrow, and the hope that will never fail.