Jesus came at Christmas time
To a world seeking its own way
Full of people fighting –
Just like it is today.

There were some who wanted power
Others wanted wealth
Some just wanted happiness
Others needed health.

The angel came to Mary
And said 'O blessed one'
You will have a baby
And He will be God's son.

Mary went to Bethlehem
With her husband Joe
They were very tired –
It was a long, long way to go.

When they got to Bethlehem
There were no rooms to spare
People were pushing and shoving
Joseph was in despair.

No room for Jesus the Saviour
No nice clean room for His birth
Everyone pushed him out of their way
Who was maker of heaven and earth.

But the Innkeeper came and found them
'If you're not fussy, there's one place free
In with the donkeys and oxen
You'll be as snug as can be.

They settled into the stable
Mary sat on a heap of straw.
She looked at her husband, Joseph –
God was with them, though they were so poor.

Jesus was born that evening.
Stars twinkled in the chilly night air.
The ox and the ass looked on and
Wondered who it was who was there.

Out in the fields there were shepherds
Wrapped in cloaks and watching their sheep.
When the sky suddenly burst into life
And they all forgot about sleep.

Angels told of a Saviour
Born there in Bethlehem.
The shepherds set off to find Him
Who would hang on a cross for them.

There in the stable they found Him
On His little bed of straw.
They fell down before Him and worshipped
Their hearts filled with wonder and awe.

A few months later a new star
Appeared in the dark night sky.
A star that had wise men scratching their heads
And asking what it was, and why.

They pored over ancient writings
And found what they thought was a clue,
It spoke of a King who was to be born
A Saviour for me and for you.

They followed the star on their camels
Asking wherever they went
For the child who was born to be Saviour
To a lost, troubled world He was sent.

Off they went to King Herod
Who shook in his shoes at the news
That a new king was born in the area
Born to be King of the Jews.

He made them promise to tell him
When they had found the new king,
But an angel came to them and told them
They must not tell him a thing.

For wicked King Herod was planning
To kill the new-born baby boy.
But they got on their camels to find him
Their hearts filled with wonder and joy.

They found the young child with Mary
And her husband Joseph nearby.
They knelt and they offered him their royal gifts
The child who was King most high.

When they returned to their country
They went by a different route.
Herod soon realised they'd tricked him
And he raged like a bad tempered brute.

He killed all the little male children
That lived in or near Bethlehem.
He sent out his soldiers with weapons
And he had no mercy on them.

But God kept His own son from danger.
Quietly they slipped away.
They laid low for a while in Egypt
Till their enemies had all had their day.

Jesus grew up to be master
Of wind and of weather and wave,
But the world did not recognise Him,
Who had come both to seek and to save.

He healed those with no hope of a cure
And He brought the dead back to life.
But they took Him and beat Him and mocked Him
Who came to bring peace and not strife.

He hung on the cross and He paid there
Fully the price of our sin.
So now God can open the heavens
And those who are lost can come in.

So join with us this Christmas season
To praise Him who left heaven's throne.
Just to be our Lord and our Saviour
And suffered to make us
His own.

© 2004 Ruth Warnes