Praising God

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2: 15 - 20

Good Will Toward Men

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."  Luke 2: 7-14

A Christmas Prayer

A Christmas Prayer
by Robert Louis Stevenson

Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift
and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing
which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. 

May the Christmas morning
make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds
with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven,
for Jesus' sake.
Amen

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Isaiah 7: 14-15

Good Tidings

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Luke 2: 8-10

Sing, Christmas bells! Say to the earth this is the morn Whereon our Savior-King is born;  

Sing to all men,—the bond, the free, The rich, the poor, the high, the low, The little child that sports in glee, The aged folk that tottering go,  

Proclaim the morn That Christ is born,

That saveth them and saveth me!

 

Sing, angel host! Sing of the star that God has placed Above the manger in the East; Sing of the glories of the night, The virgin's sweet humility,  

The Babe with kingly robes bedight, Sing to all men where'er they be This Christmas morn; For Christ is born,

That saveth them and saveth me!

 

Sing, sons of earth! O ransomed seed of Adam, sing! God liveth, and we have a king! The curse is gone, the bond are free

By Bethlehem's star that brightly beamed, By all the heavenly signs that be, We know that Israel is redeemed;

That on this morn The Christ is born That saveth you and saveth me!

Sing, O my heart!

Sing thou in rapture this dear morn Whereon the blessed Prince is born! And as thy songs shall be of love, So let my deeds be charity By the dear Lord that reigns above, By Him that died upon the tree, By this fair morn Whereon is born The Christ that saveth all and me!

A Joyous Song

Oh, hush thee, little Dear-my-Soul, The evening shades are falling,— Hush thee, my dear, dost thou not hear The voice of the Master calling?

Deep lies the snow upon the earth, But all the sky is ringing With joyous song, and all night long The stars shall dance, with singing.

Oh, hush thee, little Dear-my-Soul, And close thine eyes in dreaming, And angels fair shall lead thee where The singing stars are beaming.

A shepherd calls his little lambs, And he longeth to caress them; He bids them rest upon his breast, That his tender love may bless them.

So, hush thee, little Dear-my-Soul, Whilst evening shades are falling, And above the song of the heavenly throng Thou shalt hear the Master calling.

THE THREE KINGS OF COLOGNE

From out Cologne there came three kings To worship Jesus Christ, their King. To Him they sought fine herbs they brought, And many a beauteous golden thing; They brought their gifts to Bethlehem town, And in that manger set them down.

Then spake the first king, and he said: "O Child, most heavenly, bright, and fair! I bring this crown to Bethlehem town For Thee, and only Thee, to wear; So give a heavenly crown to me When I shall come at last to Thee!"

The second, then. "I bring Thee here This royal robe, O Child!" he cried; "Of silk 'tis spun, and such an one There is not in the world beside; So in the day of doom requite Me with a heavenly robe of white!"

 

The third king gave his gift, and quoth: "Spikenard and myrrh to Thee I bring, And with these twain would I most fain Anoint the body of my King; So may their incense sometime rise To plead for me in yonder skies!"

 

Thus spake the three kings of Cologne, That gave their gifts, and went their way; And now kneel I in prayer hard by The cradle of the Child to-day; Nor crown, nor robe, nor spice I bring  

As offering unto Christ, my King.

Yet have I brought a gift the Child May not despise, however small; For here I lay my heart to-day, And it is full of love to all.

Take Thou the poor but loyal thing, My only tribute, Christ, my King!

The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.
 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.
 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
 The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.
 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
 There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.
 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.
 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.
 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe in his name:
  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
  John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.
  For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.
  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
  And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?
  And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.
  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
  They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.  John 1: 1-23