SONG:
Close your eyes in the dark of this night
midst the rustling of angel flight,
under the stars I have set to illumine
Your first fleeting moments of being human.
Rest in the arms that You have created,
though divine thoughts for now are faded,
stilled by the moment of redemption begun,
covered with the swaddling of flesh and bone.

Sleep, my Beloved, in silent, trusting peace
knowing not the things yet to be.
But, somewhere in your soul, in deep infant thought,
may You embrace the plan in love I have wrought.

Hush now, my Son, the lips that one day
will teach my people and proclaim the Way.
Dry the tears that soon will flow free
for a generation with eyes that can’t see.
Still, dear One, the hands that years hence
will heal the blind, and lepers cleanse.
Rest, precious Child, the feet that will grow
to walk a hill, salvation to bestow.

Sleep, my Child, and let Your thoughts deepen,
for the dreams You are dreaming are memories of heaven –
Visions of glory, of light, of truth.
Time will reawaken the diety in You.

SCENE:
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon… And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  And he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou has prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:25-32)

SYNTAX:
Fulfill.
to measure up to satisfy; to bring to an end, 
Complete 

SONG:
For hundreds of years prophets foretold
that a Savior would come to save our souls.
He would be a king, mighty and strong.
Glory and power to Him would belong.
The government would rest on Him,
and He would deliver us all from sin.
In His kingdom sorrow would cease,
an everlasting Father, the prince of peace.

Today I’ve seen him, though just a babe,
the One, the Messiah who’s come to save.
My heart leaped within me when I saw the child,
the One I’ve been waiting for all my life.
Of all the accomplishments, my work, my faith,
my life’s greatest hope has been realized today.
And whatever hence my life may yield,
thank you that I could see your promise fulfilled.

SCENE:
Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

SYNTAX:
Wonder.
to have feelings of awe or admiration,
Marvel

SONG:
I wonder what kind of boy He will be.
Will He enjoy running and climbing trees?
I wonder what will be His favorite toy
or game He will play with other boys.

I wonder what plans God has in store
to accomplish His purpose with this little boy.
Will He be loved and accepted by men?
Even as a child, will they know who He is?
Will He be a king, mighty to save?
Will He be a prophet, pointing the way?
To the task, years of kings and prophets weren’t equal.
So, what will it take to save His people?

I wonder holding Him in my arms,
will I be able to keep Him from harm?
It’s what parents hope in a world of strife
but, Lord I trust You to guard His life.

SEARCH:
I have been so intrigued by Mary this Christmas season.  Maybe it’s because Baby Girl is almost 4 months old, and I guess I’m a little more reflective this year than I was when Squiggle was an infant during the holidays.  I’ve really been trying to identify with Mary as a mother and not just as the religious icon she’s come to be today.  The angel’s message about the child she would carry must have been both awe-inspiring and overwhelming all at once.  I’m sure she was like all mothers, full of hopes and dreams for her little bundle of joy.  

It’s a huge stretch of the imagination to consider Jesus as a boy, playing with friends, running and jumping, and giving hugs like my boys do.  The Bible doesn’t tell us much about His childhood, and I suppose we are so conditioned to think about Him as the teacher and healer revealed in the New Testament that we forget He actually did grow up.  He learned to crawl and walk and talk like all babies do.  I’m sure Mary looked at him with the same eyes full of wonder and heart overflowing with love that I use when I see my children.  What did she think of the angel’s declaration that He would be God’s Son and that His kingdom would have no end?  How did she imagine it would come to pass as the years went by?  Did she share the experience with Him?  Did she forget about it?  Did she have an inkling of what it meant? I’m sure she cringed the same way I do at the thought of them every being hurt or alone or broken.

And yet, He was hurt and left alone and broken. No doubt the scene she saw standing at the foot of the cross as she watched her beloved dying was far from her wildest ponderings on the night of His birth.  I can hardly bear to even think of the sorrow she must have born–there to the end as He made such a great sacrifice for her and all mankind.  We’re not told, but I hope she saw Him that Sunday morning three days later.  I hope she touched Him and kissed Him again.  I hope she saw the fruition of God’s blessing on her womb.  I’m certain she sees Him now–her son and Savior.

SCENE:
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying “Where is He that is born King of the Jews, for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.”…And lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. (Matthew 2:1-2, 9)

SYNTAX:
Seek.
to try to locate or discover; search for; to endeavor to obtain or 
Reach 

SONG:
We’ve travelled far, seeking to find,
and now this night God provided a sign
to show us the way to the King of Kings,
the Son of God, salvation He brings.
We’ve come bearing gifts to present to the One
who means that a lifetime of searching is done.
But, all the wisdom and riches we hold
can never compare to the Savior we behold.

Praise to the Father who’s true to His word
that the one who asks will always be heard.
Rejoice in the babe for all mankind,
and the promise that all who seek Him will find.

SEARCH:
How compassionate our God is that we are not left to wander–that an answer is ready for those who ask and a journey’s end is ready for those who seek.  It is interesting to me how God revealed Himself to the Magi.  They were apparently watching the skies.  I read in The Miracle of Christmas by John MacArthur that the “wise men” were likely astronomy and astrology practitioners, trying to determine or understand events of the day–not exactly a view of the stars (or a method of gaining understanding) that God would approve.  And yet, we see o what great lengths the Father will go to capture our attention.  He will even meet us in a place He doesn’t want to be, even when we’re searching in the wrong place.  God put an intriguing star in the sky to pique the interests of a bunch of astrologers in order introduce them to His Son, the Savior of the world.

I wonder how many others saw the star and just moved on to other things.  These men had seeking hearts, hearts that God had already prepared for a new discovery.  Maybe they were tired of the old ways.  Regardless, they came ready to find something extraordinary.  They came ready to worship before they even knew who they would find.