The Reconciling Child

(A 25th Christmas gift to the Fellowship in the Pass Church)

Oh, Hark! The herald angels sing
“Give Glory to the newborn King!
The Father’s own begotten Son
The reconciling had begun

For by the work of this dear child
We sinners lost were reconciled
Though helpless and ungodly be
The enemies of God were we

And yet in grace and proving love
He laid aside His rights above
To enter into time and space
And demonstrate redeeming grace

God to a virgin timely born
Humanity for Him was worn
She swaddled Him in cloths so fresh
His deity was wrapped in flesh

When shepherds on a hillside heard
The joyful news, the glorious word
For all the world good news received
The shepherds listened and believed

And came to see Messiah come
Who pitched His tent and made a home
With men on earth as man He dwelt
God’s condescending love was felt

He came so unobtrusively
An act of pure humility
Not as the world expected Him
The night was dark, the light was dim

Immersed in darkness was the earth
But light had come with this one birth
For those who would to Him submit
Eternal light in Him was lit

Then from the stable He would go
To Nazareth where He would grow
Into a man with favor found
In wisdom and in stature sound

A man who went round doing good
And though by most misunderstood
They thought He was an earthly king
Vindictive conq’ring He would bring

But this was not why He came down
For fleeting fame or man’s renown
Not even carnal infamy
Nor treasure’s temporality

He came to die—simplicity
Revealed in His humility
Obedient death was His to claim
That led to His exalted name

And so this reconciling child
Though born so pure and undefiled
By sin’s impurities innate
With man’s own weakness He’d relate

Becoming sin for us He could
Impart His righteousness that would
Make us acceptable to God
And far remove His wrathful rod

No other Name, no other One
Can give us life than God’s dear Son
Who on the cross in suff’ring so…
Determined love for us did show

The Father’s grace in Him replete
Where reconciling love did meet
And in His death salvation sweet
Redemption wrought—full and complete

Thus once again th’indwelling Word
Will tabernacle now as Lord
With men and women who receive
And penitentially believe

Oh would that all the nations could
With joyful hearts proclaim the good
Of God’s eternal saving Son
Eternal God, incarnate One