'Twas the
time before Christ’s birth, and all through the land
People waited
and prayed for Messiah to come.
Zachariah and
Elizabeth his wife, who were righteous to God
Were old and
childless but, were promised a son.
He would not
be Messiah, the angel proclaimed,
But will be
filled with the Spirit, and John is his name.
He will be a
forerunner of Messiah to come
Preparing the
people for the long awaited One.
Zach laughed
at the thought “this age, giving birth?”
Gabriel
assured him of the joy on the earth
And in their
house with the birth of their son
But because
of his doubt, Zach then became dumb.
The same
angel also visited a virgin named Mary
To tell her
of the son that she would soon carry.
Mary visited
her cousin and told of this news;
Elizabeth’s baby
then leaped with joy too.
“Blessed are
you” Mary, and “the fruit of your womb.”
Mary exalted
the Lord, for His goodness to her.
My spirit
rejoices - what He has done for me
And the help
He is giving - His infinite mercy.
Like her
cousin Elizabeth, Mary’s holy offspring
Would bring
joy to the earth. The Prince of Peace
Would come just
as the prophet Isaiah had told
Even those long
hundreds of years ago.
His plan was
in place, and now coming to be
Though years
of silence had preceded the day.
In His time
and His mercy, His plan and His work
The world
will see light in the midst of the dark.
His light
will shine as true light in the world
So full of
darkness, filth and shedding of blood.
Caesar
Augustus sent out a decree
For a census
to be taken, each in his own city.
So while
Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem small,
The time
came to deliver this child in a stall.
No room in
the inn, there was no more space
But with compassion
for Mary, they were given a place.
Outside with
the animals would be their abode,
So Messiah
was born, just as foretold.
They called
His name “Jesus” as the angel had said
When speaking
to Joseph, asleep in his bed.
Yeshua,
Jesus, would be this Child’s name
And the
reason He was born - God saves.
He told Joe
that night, in a dream, what to do
Not only about
the child but, regarding Mary too.
While shepherds
nearby had the fright of their lives!
For while
they were watching their sheep as they should
An angel appeared,
and before them he stood
causing fear
in their hearts, so he immediately said
“I come with
good news. Do not be afraid,
A babe has
been born Who shall be to all people
Great joy,
He is Christ, the Lord and the Savior.
You will find Him in the city, lying in a
manger
Wrapped up
in cloths, was the news from the angel.
Then a
multitude appeared of the heavenly hosts
Saying “glory
to God in the highest” of course,
And continued
their praise with a word about peace
To all men on
earth with whom He is pleased.
So the
shepherds quickly followed the words of the angel
They came to
the stable, and found Christ in the manger.
They saw Him
in person that very night
And overcame
their fear and their fright
to make known
what they learned of the baby.
Maybe that
is our job too, just maybe.
Perhaps if
we tell just one more today
That the
Savior was born, just as God said
That He paid
your sin debt, and He also paid mine.
Our price
was a steep one, too big to imagine.
Yet He gave
it, His life blood, to show you how precious
You are to
Him, even more than was His own flesh.
So, now we no
longer are awaiting His birth
He has come,
He has gone, now we have here on earth
The promise that
once more He will again come,
And set up
His kingdom, and sit on the throne.
So our
question remains if our job is to tell
Of His birth
and His death and His coming again.
He
instructed His followers in Scripture this way
“Go, make
disciples, baptizing in the name
Of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
Observing all
I commanded, lo, I am with you.
He ascended
to heaven, but just before He left
He said you shall
be My witnesses to all the earth.
So as we
look to the reminder of His birth long ago
Let’s not
forget our commission now is to go.
As we wish
one another “Merry Christmas” this season
Let us also share that He is the reason.
* * * * *
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