"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21, NIV1984).
How can it be thatAll the weight of all the promisesAnd government will restOn the wee shouldersOf this bairnIn a borrowed crib?This wrinkled, ruddy infant--Can He be the seed of the woman,the serpent-slayer;the seed of Abraham,the nations' blessing;the seed of the shepherd singer,the forever ruler?Behold the Lamb of GodIn a feed trough,The Shepherd of IsraelAdored by shepherds,The Word "without whom nothing"Made wordless flesh,The light of our shadowlandsBathed in starlight.And for what? Why did very God forsakeThe splendor of His majesty?For grace,For love,For kindness,For my salvation He appeared,For the pardon of this traitor heart,For the redemption of this rebel sinner.For the joy of my rescueThe King of kings became a ragamuffinThat I might become royalty.Son of God, Son of Mary,Swaddled Savior,Messiah in a manger,Glorious grace-giver.I believe;Help my unbelief.He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:11-12, ESV).
