We Need Never Feel the Same

If Jesus Christ had not been born,

That far away first Christmas morn

The rose, of course, would still adorn

The briar and the branch of thorn.

But surely no one would have worn

A thorny crown and felt the scorn

Of passers by, nor would have borne

The burden of our sins, forlorn.

Yet thus it was His fate to be,

This Child of greatest destiny,

Born in veils of mystery,

Unique through all of history,

Worshipped by the magi three

And shepherds who had come to see

That night of His nativity,

But destined, too, upon a tree

To end His life, too short, too brief

Betwixt a brigand and a thief -

A scene almost beyond belief,

So weighted down with untold grief.

And yet it was for this He came

To take upon Himself the blame,

To suffer all the awful shame 

As though He felt the fiery flame

Of hell upon His holy name

That we need never feel the same.

Because of selfishness and greed,

By hurtful word and sinful deed,

We caused the Innocent to bleed.

Yet now if we should feel our need,

Yes any person, big or small

Who hears His patient loving call

Of pardon offered now to all

Each time by choice we fail and fall,

When we by faith reach up to grasp

His hand of mercy in its clasp,

We all may find a hope anew,

And inner strength to thus renew,

And courage for the future, too...

For all of us, not just a few.

Yes, all because one starry night

When angels on their wing-ed flight

Came near to earth with Heaven's light

In such a grand and glorious sight

Announcing news of greatest joy

Which would begin when one small Boy

Born that night when some would find

The promised Savior of mankind.

If you've not found Him, go and seek,

And in that manger take a peek.

That little boy-child, small and weak

In such surroundings, humble, meek,

Became the One to offer you

A way of life, abundant, new

A life of peace and love and giving -

A far, far better way of living

Than how we live before we meet Him.

So to that stable go and greet Him

That Christmas morning He may be

Not just a man from history,

But may we rather each one feel

Him very near and very real.