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© 2007, 2012 Stanley Edgar Rickard (Ed Rickard, the author). All rights reserved. If you would like to use this reading in a program, see terms and conditions of use.
The Christmas Story
A Poem for Christmas
Description
The poem is Ed Rickard's revision of an old poem by F. C. Fisher (dates unknown). It sets the Nativity in the broader landscape of Christ's character, showing both His love for sinners and His profound humility in becoming a man.
Long, long ago, the angel throng
O'er Judah's hills appearing,
First chanted their immortal song
In lowly shepherds' hearing;
We too should sing,
Because our King,
Whose love can never vary,
For us was born,
On Christmas morn,
Of Israel's Virgin Mary.
Of old He was the Father's Son,
On throne of glory seated:
By Him God spoke and it was done,
When earth was first created.
That loving toil,
Did Satan spoil
By Adam's wrong behavior,
But God did send
The sinner's Friend,
His Son, to be our Savior.
No common birth such hope could give,
That man should save his brother:
A humble maid from all that live
God chose to be His mother;
For as she heard
The angel's word,
The Spirit came upon her,
And full of grace
She bowed her face,
To bear such wondrous honor.
Now praise the Lord, nor from Him roam,
For in His love unshaken,
He shepherds all His children home,
That none might be forsaken;
God's regal Son
All rights did shun
and left eternal glory:
And humbled thus,
He died for us,
And that's the Christmas story.
Come, one and all,
Hark to the call
Love makes for love's replying;
See where He lies
Who left the skies
To bring us life undying.
O'er Judah's hills appearing,
First chanted their immortal song
In lowly shepherds' hearing;
We too should sing,
Because our King,
Whose love can never vary,
For us was born,
On Christmas morn,
Of Israel's Virgin Mary.
Of old He was the Father's Son,
On throne of glory seated:
By Him God spoke and it was done,
When earth was first created.
That loving toil,
Did Satan spoil
By Adam's wrong behavior,
But God did send
The sinner's Friend,
His Son, to be our Savior.
No common birth such hope could give,
That man should save his brother:
A humble maid from all that live
God chose to be His mother;
For as she heard
The angel's word,
The Spirit came upon her,
And full of grace
She bowed her face,
To bear such wondrous honor.
Now praise the Lord, nor from Him roam,
For in His love unshaken,
He shepherds all His children home,
That none might be forsaken;
God's regal Son
All rights did shun
and left eternal glory:
And humbled thus,
He died for us,
And that's the Christmas story.
Come, one and all,
Hark to the call
Love makes for love's replying;
See where He lies
Who left the skies
To bring us life undying.