Grace - fresh vital worship since 1993

December 2005: Nine

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See the archive for December 2006 for explanation.

The Nativity

(accompanied by Lord of the Starfields by Bruce Cockburn, and the trailer for the film The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe)

In the story of Narnia, Jesus is depicted as a lion
A strong, majestic, victorious king
Who sends his subjects into war
Who defeats death through his sacrifice
Who keeps his distance
A wild lion, to be feared and respected
To loved and obeyed.

But Christmas is not a time for lions
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus
The creator of the universe, left the security of his father's side and entered our world as one of us
The lord of the starfields became flesh and grew inside his mother's womb, was born and cried and slept and fed.
The Ancient of Days became tiny, vulnerable, dependent child.

And in the still darkness of that first Christmas night
As the silent earth draws breath
We creep inside the stable,
And sit with Mary and Joseph
To wonder and to worship.

The Shepherd's Prayer

by Andrew Sillis

Oh God this is boring - sitting in the damp
staring at these lousy sheep
I think I'm getting cramp.
Oh could there be another way?
Could life be full and fun?
Could there be riches beyond the heavens
When all is said and done?

Oh God this is boring - the sheep are going "baa" again
like when preachers make you want to snore
until their last "amen".
Oh could there be another way,
where truth is light and airy?
and get away from all those folks
whose truth is simply lairy?

Oh God this is boring - like riding on the tube
all those sheepy faces staring
kinda blank, but in a mood.
Oh could there be another way,
for us to share this journey,
with loving smiles and open hearts
life would be much less scary.

Oh God this is boring - yet more daily grind
satisfying the pedantry of others
won't they ever open their minds.
Oh could there be another way
much more natural and simple
without crossing every "t"
and spotting every pimple.

Oh God this is boring - why don't you just come down
with a flight of heavenly angels
just come, and take your crown!
Oh!


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