Another Christmas Comment

Yes Christmas is coming, the world will be merry,
With turkey, plum pudding; with port wine and sherry.
Sad hearts will be gladdened wherever you go,
With greetings and presents - with Yule logs aglow;
And houses all trimmed with the evergreen fir;
As Christmas you see, comes but once in a year.

What means this great feast-time the sad world is keeping?
Explain all the mirth that shall banish the weeping:
"The birthday of Jesus," perhaps you will say,
("No room in the inn, so they laid Him on hay")
When God the Eternal incarnate became,
To ransom a people from bondage and shame;
Bright angels in glory attended the birth
Of Him who created the Heavens and Earth.

Though Scripture is silent regarding December,
Some heart searching facts it would have us remember;
We stripped Him and flogged Him - we crowned Him with thorn,
Dividing between us the clothes He had worn:
With hammer and nails (how sad to repeat)
We fastened His hands - yes and also His feet,
Securely there to a terrible tree,
And raised Him aloft for humanity's glee.

"He's finished" we scoffed, as we sealed up the tomb;
Unwittingly then we were sealing our doom:
That God has forgotten, let none of us think,
While lauding the Babe as we banquet and drink:
No, surely consider, the grave and the stone
Were powerless to hold Him - He's now on the throne
And coming in judgment; - Oh how shall we stand,
Explaining the wounds in His feet or His hands?
For God has declared every knee shall be bowed
Unto Him who was mocked by the onlooking crowd.

Forgiveness is offered - just let me begin -
Salvation to all who acknowledge their sin;
But sinners alone - (no other may claim)
And only the ones who believe on His Name.

No Bethlehem stable completed His mission;
For the shedding of blood must accomplish remission.
The substitute victim God's counsel supplied.
So Jesus the sinless one willingly died.

A.E.H.