The Nearness of Christmas

(Hebrews 4:16)

He is transcendent deity
Unchangeable alone
Resplendent in His majesty
The Self-existent One

Eternal Father, Spirit, Son
A trinity of love
With nothing lacking in Himself
This God Who reigns above

But who can grasp omnipotence
Omniscience bends the mind
Or non-beginning, -ending One
Of everlasting kind

Completely separate from us
He chose to create man
And condescend creatively
The universe began

Removed from us, He moved to us
Creating us by Word
He brought us forth in innocence
And fellowship was heard

Rebellious creatures we became
Relentless pride within
A blot upon His holiness
Repulsive in our sin

But promise came and prophecy
Of covenantal grace
For One would come from Mary’s womb
To heal the ruined race

The Son became Immanuel
As God with us drew near
Transcendent God in imminence
Was now among us here

Humility was His disguise
An unexpected form
When God drew near at Bethlehem
And as a man was born

And nearer still He drew to us
Incarnate deity
He took our sins upon Himself
And bore them to the tree

With blessed blood a path was paved
By sacrificial Lamb
The sinless One, eternal Son
In flesh the great I Am

For us at last a way was made
Into that Holy Place
Where God in all His grandeur dwells
Upon His throne called grace

And so to Him we can draw near
This glorious God on high
With demonstrated love He lures
He sent His Son to die

Though as we come with confidence
For precious blood precedes
Our hearts are struck with gravity
That mercy is our need

Yes mercy first and mercy last
A sinners only plea
That God should show His pity fast
In mercy to receive

And thus we come with humbled hearts
No pious proud parade
We gain by grace an entrance where
Compassion is displayed

Then once received and mercy giv’n
Our Father bids us ask
For grace to meet our time of need
For grace to face our task

Oh Wondrous One! Oh Perfect Love!
Who casts aside our fear
By grace do save and grace sustain
Your children who draw near