A Christmas Story

Once there was a world . . .

Where angels sang and children danced with joy . . . Animals at peace and birds that warbled from the trees Filled the morning air while breezes warmed each and every day and night . . .

Oceans calmly reached the distant shores of sunny islands Basking in the sun . . and mountain tops were painted with the brightest snow that melted into rivers far below . Forests were forever green and singing brooks were filled with fish in rainbow colors from below .

The world at peace was what we knew before the starlight fell into the dawn . Then something changed the way things might have stayed when someone thought he knew the better way . Instead of caring for the next . . he wanted only for the first . The paradise we knew became the past and all that prospered withered in our hands .

So God who loved us more than we could know sent us his son to make things new . He came into the middle of our time with messages of hope and love divine . His birth was special yet unfit for Kings of his royal lineage . Who was this child so wonderful that angels and the shepherds followed kings to worship this once and future counselor of peace .

A virgin birth in a manger filled with hay was not the sign they looked for Christmas day . They tried to kill the messenger of peace who from his childhood knew no other way than to offer Up himself to die for you and me . The world would crucify him by decree . . . hoping he would be forgotten on that tree .

So why can’t we go on without his cross ? Because he told the truth that we were lost . The world decided that instead of putting someone else first that first and foremost we must care about ourselves . No wonder hatred anger loathing fill the halls instead of love and joy and peace that conquer all .

In Bethlehem there is a hope beyond the stretch of time Above the hopes of all mankind . His name is Jesus . Emmanuel , God is with us .

Peace is almost here .

Kepha Peter Martin