Luke 2

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰ And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is ^[h]Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a ^[i]manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly ^[j]army of angels praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people ^[k]with whom He is pleased.”

¹⁵ When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the ^[l]manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.

‘Twas the week before Christmas

and all through the place

spread confusion and fear

it showed on his face

So, he commits to discover

the reason for this

the depression of Christmas

the lie of the bliss

He is angry at presents

angry at light

angry at family

angry feels right

What is the point

of this celebration

of “beauty” and “sparkle”

across the whole nation

What is the reason

for a season of “joy”

vacation and rest

for each girl and boy

What is the reason

for all of the fuss

there must be a point

there simply… just must

So off he went looking

for what this all meant

it all felt so empty

time wasted and spent

The great celebration

the adrenaline high

cardboard and paper,

piled up to the sky

Debt from him spending

too much to disguise

gifts given to everyone

to cover the lies

There is no money

in his bank account

so why all this pressure

to spend such an amount?

What is this moment

why all this cover

What’s really happening

He must discover

So he starts his journey

alone and undone

there’s nothing left

there is no one

He ruined his family

gave in to the sin

got caught up in money

and lost the whole thing

Felt like a failure

took it out on his wife

pushed her away

and the good in his life

Now Christmas is here,

he kept up with the rest

so they don’t suspect

or put him to test

But he’s walking empty

he’s walking in snow

he realized he walked

where others won’t know

And inside his pocket,

it’s full of the pills

that will take it away,

the feeling that kills

The snow, it’s all falling

softly around

The cold is so numbing

it’s a wonderful sound

The heat from the anger

the emptiness creeps

like the shadows that bind him

the depression just keeps

growing inside

now making him bend

the weight of his sin

will it ever end?

No one is there

No one will know

No one will miss him

No one will show

Up to a funeral

No one will get

No one will be there

No calls of fret

silence is stillness

and suddenly he sees

The Glory of Light

that throws him to his knees

He screams, “Who are you Lord?”

“I know that it’s you!

Why are you here?

What did I do?”

Overwhelming Light enters

the cracks of his skin

he is awakened and blinded

by the Forgiveness within

Completely transfixed

by the Spirit of LIGHT

he is chosen that moment

to submit to what’s right

He is left in a pile

of cold melting snow

where no one was there

no one would know

But inside, he’s changed

he reaches for the pills

they’ve been scattered away

along with what kills

He searches for help

to get up from the snow

and he feels a Great Hand

full of strength and he knows

This is The Reason

who he was looking for

revealed in a moment

where time was no more

where he was so lost

and each second was pain

yet a Savior was there

to help him sustain

“You’re not finished,” he knew.

“I’m not done with you yet.”

and suddenly gone

was all his regret.

He stood there for a moment

in silent sweet wonder

at the mercy of God

what He put asunder

his eye readjusted

to the darkness of night

and he turned around slowly

considered his plight

he walked back to his house

empty and cold

but inside this man

felt hope to behold

he was warm inside

like never before

he felt a new healing

he felt something more

he felt a new purpose

he felt new desire

he felt a sweet calling

he felt something higher

he got into warm clothes

that matched what was inside

and sat in his chair

to unwind and abide

his hand rested on

his wife’s favorite Book

it was pushed down beside

the cushion, he took

he opened the Pages

tear stained and so read

and he looked at the Words

they soothed his past dread

The Reason, each page

like none read before

like Miracles spoken

reaching out to restore

here’s what he read

on that glorious night

he read of a moment

of a similar sight

This was a day

that belonged to the Lord

He came down from Glory

to give us reward

He came as a baby

so humble and meek

and shepherds were looking

their Savior, they seek

They were told to start looking

by wondrous Glory

all of Heaven erupted

and here is their story

Alert and watching

their evening routine,

the sheep were all sleeping

but not them, they were keen

They knew that the darkness

held hope for attack

the enemy waiting

for their midnight snack

The shepherds were guarding

ready on a whim

and then Blinding Light,

choirs and hymns

The angels erupted

in wondrous song

Glory to GOD!!

to Heaven belong

The shepherds, protected,

by God’s great command

They were able to listen

allowed to understand

Gabriel told them

Jesus was there

and they were to find Him

and look, He’s right where

Angels promised they’d find Him

in a manger for sheep

yet, look, He’s a Savior

in a place where they keep

food for the animals

Yet, by His own choice

He designed His own birth

Created Himself

Far below His own worth

The Incarnate Child

Divinity in man

in awe, shepherds look

and they understand

They know in their hearts

with Spirit-filled eyes

with ears that could hear

love-willing. and wise

They were CHOSEN to witness

this miraculous split

the past is now set

so we would soon sit

in Heaven beside Him

Oh glorious day!

The Promise was given

thank you, they all pray

They go and they tell

everyone they see

The King is now here

His face, they did see

Merry Christmas to all

was their honor cry

they saw His arrival

they didn’t deny

the man settles in

for a cold winter’s night

he closes The Promise

and he grasps It up tight

in both of his hands

the weight of his wonder

he now understands

is The Reason for all

The Reason for wonder

The Reason was small

but The Reason, He grew

became a man, just like him

and The Reason was sacrifice

He gave Light to the dim

Whose sacrifice magnified

love up on a cross

a Ransom for all

those who are lost

and The Reason is real

He is alive and He’s well

The Reason revealed

for a lost man, to tell

you are not finished

you are not done

you are now ready

for this night become

one of the many

saved and received

The Gift of Salvation

because he believed

he received Jesus that very night

and what to his wonder

and what to his sight

as he looked out his window

at the snow falling down

a wonderful sight

that brought hope all around

a star shining bright

a beacon of joy

a reminder that Christmas

is for each girl and boy

Christmas is Jesus

will you receive Him today

will you get all the things

that man got that day

will you get understanding

will you get freedom within

will you get the gift

that was given to him

will you accept eternal life

will you, too, be redeemed

by the blood of divinity

“it is finished,” He screamed!

He died on that cross

and defeated death for us all

He rose in three days

will you answer His call

Remember, dear friend,

the value of you

the value your soul

equalled what He would do

He loves you so much

that He suffered and died

He paid your great ranson

because, love abide

the love that He has

for the soul that He gave

The eternal you

HIS LIFE given to save

think about that

gift you can give back

It’s simply, just love

and not something you lack

The gift of His love

is just simply – returned

he accepted that night

that’s what that man learned

Christmas isn’t something

you buy in a store

it’s not keeping up

it’s something much more

‘Twas the week before Christmas

and all through the place

spread PEACE, LOVE AND JOY

and it showed on his face