Good King Wenceslas

This Sunday our preacher mentioned this Carol in passing in the sermon on Sunday. But I looked it up and was amazed by the words to the hymn.

Most people know the first verse (or at least half of it). In it the good king looks out from the castle over a wintry night landscape. Through the blowing snow he sees a poor man gathering fire wood.

In the second verse the king asks his servant where the poor man lives. In the third verse the king tells his servant to gather up meat, wine and firewood and tells him they are going to take them to the poor man’s house. So they set out together into the blizzard to bring to this poor man everything he needs for a holiday barbeque. In the fourth verse the servant starts to complain about how cold it is and how strong the wind is blowing. The servant is afraid that he can’t go on and will freeze before they reach their destination. But the king tells the servant to walk in his footsteps and he won’t be so cold. In the last verse the servant finds that when he steps in the footprints of the king he could move thru the snow much easier. The servant also seems to feel actual warmth when walking in the king’s steps.

I’m sure you’re already making the application. The king calls his servant into a cruel and bitter world to do good for someone who needs it. However the way is so hard the servant despairs. But if the servant walks in the footsteps of the king he can continue in the journey and fulfill his mission of mercy.

When the Kingdom of Jesus comes into our broken world, He calls his people to acts of mercy confronting injustice, rescuing the oppressed, caring for the marginalized, and healing the brokenness. When we follow, often we find that the journey is hard and fulfilling our mission stretches us beyond what we think we can bear. But if we stay close to our master and follow diligently after him we will find encouragement for the journey and the strength to join our King in his mission.

That’s such an awesome story being told in that old carol!!! I love the last line: “Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.”