Unto Us

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas – a series of daily posts about, you guessed it – Christmas. If you’re just finding us, you may like to start at Day12 and make your way through from there. Thanks for dropping by!

2nd Day of Christmas – Unto Us

Today, I offer you a poem and a song. The poem? I wrote it one quiet morning last year as I battled for stillness in the hustle and bustle of the pre-Christmas season:

What is Christmas anyway?
Hustle, bustle, tinsel and lights,
Shopping, gifts and too many lines,
Turkey and baking and treats galore,
Indulgence, extravagance, and budget-busting for more.

For family, they say, time with those we love;
Clicking and buying, racing and pushing, honking and sighing;
Overlook your neighbor, love first yourself;
And don’t forget the omniscient elf on the shelf.

Lots of things to distract our mind:
Rudolf, Grinch, Santa, his list, and don’t forget the sleigh;
Hallmark and godwinks,
all woven with threads to imitate the divine…..
How did it ever get to be this way?

It really began once upon a time
Where in a quiet stable lay Immanuel, YAHWEH, I AM,
Eternal God in the flesh, born but a babe,
while upholding all things by the power of His word,
He came in love, He came to save.

That night, mercy and grace, goodwill to men was proclaimed by the angels,
and peace;
Not to the wise, the proud and ‘alright’ came He,
but to the humble and lowly outside Bethlehem city.
He emptied Himself – for you and for me –
To save us all from sin, indeed.

So let there be peace here on earth,
even for a moment let nothing be heard;
So we can reflect on the truth of this day,
(And not hastily overlook it)
Let the world not have it,
but may Christ have His way.

And the song? It’s a new-to-me one that I quite like. I hope you do as well. May your day be blessed and full of peace!