THE VIRGIN

Mary was filled with excitement that day
Joseph had pledged they would faithfully stay
Building a home he had vowed to prepare
Planning a marriage one day they would share.

Early one morning while sitting alone
An angel appeared from God's holy Throne 
Fear gripped her heart as she looked in his face
Gabriel announced: "You're a gift of His grace!"

The Virgin in wonder did not understand
How she could conceive without seed from a man
The Word made in flesh God in mystery provides
Emanuel, God with us, forever abides.  

Before he ascended he gave her The Name:
The Savior, Christ Jesus, the King who will reign
This miracle birth, Mary kept in her heart
Is the one Christmas Gift that will never depart.
B. Pent 

THE EMPTY THRONE

The trumpet alerted the angels to come

To gather together before the White Throne
The Father announced a miraculous plan
That Jesus would take on the flesh of a man.

Amazement and wonder were seen in their eyes

A virgin would birth heaven's infinite Prize
The ones who were chosen to break the Good News
Appeared to some shepherds, the lowliest of Jews.

“All Glory to God!” was the theme of their song

Lasting peace, was the Gift awaited so long
Emanuel’s coming to Bethlehem's stall
Was God's only Son with salvation for all.

The shepherds and magi who worshiped this King

Saw Him as Messiah; their freedom He'd bring
The path from the stable was marked by a cross
They did not see then, how much it would cost!

While angels rejoiced at the birth of God's Son

Redemption for man through His death would be won
Each sinner partaking the Savior's new birth
Brings praise from the angels in heaven and earth.
B. Pent

THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY

A LITLE SEED WAY BACK IN TIME
BEFORE THE WORLD WAS FLUNG IN SPACE
BECAME THE SUBJECT OF GOD'S PLAN
FOR RESCUING THE HUMAN RACE.

OMNISCIENCE SAW THE FALL OF MAN

WITH ALL THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN
THERE WAS NO HOPE OF ANY KIND
BECAUSE OF DEATH THAT REIGNED WITHIN.

SO GOD DEVISED A METHOD RARE

AND HAD THE PROPHETS WRITE IT DOWN
A VIRGIN WOULD CONCEIVE A CHILD
IN BETHLEHEM'S SMALL JUDAH TOWN.

THE SEED IN MYSTERY WAS REVEALED

THE HOLY SPIRIT, THREE-IN-ONE
COMBINED IN FLESH THE LIVING WORD
AND PLACED IN MARY'S WOMB, A SON.

HOW STRANGE THE VIRGIN MUST HAVE FELT

ON HEARING GABRIEL SHARE THE NEWS
BUT JOSEPH'S DOUBTS WERE NOT AS CLEAR
SINCE IN HIS HEART WERE OTHER VIEWS.

WHEN GOD'S PREDESTINED MOMENT CAME

ETERNITY WAS PRESSED IN TIME
THE SEED BECAME AN EMBREO
AND HEAVEN'S STAR BEGAN TO SHINE.

WHAT MUSIC MUST HAVE FILLED THE SKY

AS ANGEL CHOIRS ANNOUNCED HIS BIRTH
SO WHEN THE SHEPHERDS SAW HIM THERE
PROCLAIMED HIS COMING TO THE EARTH.

THIS CHRISTMAS MYSTERY ONCE CONCEALED

IS OFFERED AS GOD'S GIFT TO ALL
SO EVERY PEOPLE-GROUP ON EARTH
CAN KNOW THE SAVIOR WHEN THEY CALL.
--B. Pent

BETHLEHEM'S CRY

It took nine months before that cry was heard!

The strangers could not find a room that night
Yet labor pains had forced them from the Inn
To find a stable bed to birth a King.

The Virgin Mary wiped His tears away

While Joseph cleaned the stable cave that day
The Baby's cry once heard on Christmas morn
Foreshadowed days His heart for man was torn.

One day beside the tomb of His dear friend

The Savior wept because of sin's dread curse
He later cried when Judah turned from grace
By spewing hate upon His thorn crowned face.

On Calvary's hill a painful cry was heard

“Oh, why have You forsaken Me, My God?”
Another cry soon echoed through the night
“Tetelestai! then Satan fled from sight.

One final cry will shake this world again

The Lord Himself from heav'n to earth descend
The Church in White will rise to meet the Groom
His promise to return is very soon!
B. Pen

THE INNKEEPER

The Keeper missed it all!
It was a busy time, you know
With weary travelers needing rest
The Inn was full, he did his best.

The knock seemed out of place
"No vacancy" was clear to all
There was no room left anywhere
For Nazareth folk for him to share.

A noise was heard next door!
The lowing sheep and cattle stall
Was found to be the only place
For God's dear Son to find a space.

The Virgin soon gave birth
Upon a dirty stable floor
The Baby's cry was heard that night
While angels bathed the earth in light.

The Keeper missed it all!
The promised King had come to earth!
Had he but known, would he have shared
Some little space? Would he have cared?

Yet Christmas comes again
And yuletide music fills the air
Stop long enough to hear His voice
He knocks and waits! Make Him your choice.
B. Pent

THE VIRGIN

 Mary was filled with excitement that day
Joseph had pledged they would faithfully stay
Building a home he had vowed to prepare
Planning a marriage one day they would share. 

Early one morning while sitting alone
An angel appeared from God's holy Throne  
Fear gripped her heart as she looked in his face
Gabriel announced: "You're a gift of His grace!"

The Virgin in wonder did not understand
How she could conceive without seed from a man
The Word made in flesh God in mystery provides
Emanuel, God with us, forever abides.   

Before he ascended he gave her The Name: 
The Savior, Christ Jesus, the King who will reign 
This miracle birth, Mary kept in her heart
Is the one Christmas Gift that will never depart.
B. Pent

BETHLEHEM'S CRY

It took nine months before that cry was heard!

The strangers could not find a room that night

Yet labor pains had forced them from the Inn

To find a stable bed to birth a King.

The Virgin Mary wiped His tears away

While Joseph cleaned the stable cave that day

The Baby's cry once heard on Christmas morn

Foreshadowed days His heart for man was torn.

One day beside the tomb of His dear friend

The Savior wept because of sin's dread curse

He later cried when Judah turned from grace

By spewing hate upon His thorn crowned face.

On Calvary's hill a painful cry was heard

“Oh! why have You forsaken Me, My God?”

Another cry soon echoed through the night

“Tetelestai! then Satan fled from sight.

One final cry will shake the world again

The Lord Himself from heav'n to earth descend

The Church in white will rise to meet the Groom

His promise to return is very soon.

B. Pent

BETHLEHEM'S CRY

It took nine months before that cry was heard!

The strangers could not find a room that night

Yet labor pains had forced them from the Inn

To find a stable bed to birth a King.

The Virgin Mary wiped His tears away

While Joseph cleaned the stable cave that day

The Baby's cry once heard on Christmas morn

Foreshadowed days His heart for man was torn.

One day beside the tomb of His dear friend

The Savior wept because of sin's dread curse

He later cried when Judah turned from grace

By spewing hate upon His thorn crowned face.

On Calvary's hill a painful cry was heard

“Oh! why have You forsaken Me, My God?”

Another cry soon echoed through the night

“Tetelestai! then Satan fled from sight.

One final cry will shake the world again

The Lord Himself from heav'n to earth descend

The Church in White will rise to meet the Groom

His promise to return is very soon.

B. Pent

THE STAR APPEARED

The star appeared! The eastern sky

Burst from its lair as if to shout:

“A Light has dawned! The Day is come!

Prepare the way to birth a Son!”

Before the ages came to be

Eternal plans were set in place

The prophets had foretold His Birth

God's special Gift to men on earth.

The Virgin Mary then was told

That Deity would fill her womb

The Word in flesh became a Son

Emanuel, the promised One!

The shepherds heard the angels sing

That Jesus was that new born King

Then wise men later saw the star

And came to worship from afar.

“Behold the Lamb of God!” claimed John

Whose blood took on the sinner's curse

Is now the offer of His grace

To every child of Adam's race.

The Star of David is that Light

Who is the Source of truth and life

“Come unto Me” He calls today

He'll walk beside you all the way.

B. Pent

ALIEN ENCOUNTERS!

News spread like a northeaster! She tried to hide it but the secret soon surfaced. Her pregnancy would be a stigma tagged to her for life! She knew her parents would feel the shame. Yet, her greatest fear was telling her fiance. Her explanation seemed a mockery no matter how she worded it.

Wedding plans were already in the works! They seemed so much in love. They had pledged fidelity throughout their courtship. Now she's pregnant! And, not by him either! The news was more than he could bear! Disappointment and anger created an impassable chasm. Like the initial shock when losing a loved one, his thoughts became paralyzed! He faced the only alternatives: break off the engagement or expose her to public disgrace. No one knows how long he wrestled with the consequence of this promiscuous evil but sooner or later a decision had to be made. It was his move!

The night before their meeting, he had some kind of dream or vision of an alien personage from some distant galactic sphere. The encounter was surrealistic! Frozen by fear, he was forced to listen to a strange explanation of his fiance's pregnancy: "what is conceived of her is from the Holy Spirit so don't be afraid to take her as your wife," the voice assured him. The initial response to this immaculate conception was so improbable and inconceivable that it momentarily paralyzed his thinking. Yet, that very experience corroborated with his fiance's unbelievable story of her alien encounter: "the Holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." His thoughts immediately raced to Isaiah's 700 year old prophecy: "therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Faith convinced him that his doubts, weighed in the light of this alien encounter, could produce this incomprehensible virgin birth.

Reconciliation was immediate and wedding plans were back on track. Soon after, Joseph and Mary were married.

Naturally, both parents found it hard to believe this indescribable tale! And, the more they tried, the more hollow their story sounded throughout their community. In fact, it was a stigma leveled against the Child that refused to go away.

As government regulations persisted, the young family was forced to move from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Mary went into labor as they approached the city. Joseph tried to get a room in one of the motels but the "no vacancy" signs forced him to scurry for alternative accommodations. Desperation forced him to plead for the use of a shed large enough to accommodate her soon to be delivered child. The Innkeeper relented because of his importunity. The animals, housed in this stable, were brushed aside as Joseph hurriedly laid his cloak over a straw filled manger and made a bed as comfortable as possible for his wife. Before long Mary gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Both parents had agreed with the angel's request that his name be called JESUS.

The same voice that spoke to Joseph and Mary, heralded the Annunciation to a group of shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. Like some supernatural magnet, they were drawn to Bethlehem's stable. Their alien encounter, accompanied by myriads of angels, corroborated with Mary and Joseph's experience. When they saw the Christ, they fell down in worship. May His voice call us back to the central Figure of Christmas, who is the reason for this season, and in true worship acknowledge His Lordship in each of our lives.