A wicked king ruled o’er the land
Darkness and dread poured from his hand
A thick gloomy mist draped over the people
Weary and worn, there was no sign of a steeple
This evil king was not heir to the throne,
His path was crooked and cruel, “so let it be known!”
He usurped authority, overturned the law,
Coerced to the place where he now sat sneering with set jaw
“How long!?” the countrymen cried.
Toiling under his heavy hand
They tried to revolt, but to no avail
Victory seemed utterly futile on their worn, torn trail
The civil unrest and growing distress stretched higher
Yet all this drove the insidious man to squeeze his grip even tighter
Crushing taxation…
Religious oppression…
Murderous schemes…
Immoral regression…
The people wondered and wandered and worried:
“Who can save us?”
“Is there hope?”
“Will a righteous one ever ascend the throne?”
“Is there one to make everything right
To mend our shattered lives,
Wipe our tear filled eyes?”
“Will we ever stop living amid this king’s lies?”
Then a promise sounded from the ancient past
A message from the Father of the Promised One, at last
His words shot with blazing light into the shadows of night:
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light!”
Like a young sapling, He will grow from the lonely root
He will be the Branch that bears good fruit
He will be the Shepherd who cares for all the sheep
He will be the King who rules with perfect peace and equity
The promise rang like a signal bell across the land,
Its song was singing from mountaintop to timber stand:
“He is arriving! Be ready! He is coming!”
The sad chorus of oppression turned to hymns of anticipation
Hope was returning, Love was restoring
But the refrain of a Savior…
Made the incredulous king recoil as a viper
Ready to inflict and poison like a sniper
Alluring with lies, scheming their demise
His tactics of torture, deception, and theft hushed the song
Spreading sad silence once again far and long
The power of fear rose each year
The promise of freedom seemed to disappear
Year after year their burden increased
They buried their loved ones
Their hope seemed deceased
Yet then in the silence and sorrow and tears
A heavenly messenger appeared…
“Strike up the song! For your King is here!”
Like the dawning light of a fresh spring morning
The news crossed the sky and went soaring
The Child, the Promise, the Savior is born!
Life, peace, joy is restored!
But the lies of the wicked king were chanted so long
Many believed his pathetic, unhappy song
They ignored the promise
Continued in darkness
Yet across the countryside…
Many weary remembered the Promise,
They believed the Truth, received Him as Savior with, “glory to God in the highest!”
His arrival? Not with trumpets.
His mission? Misunderstood.
His crown? Twisted thorns.
His throne? A cross.
But the story was not yet complete…
For His death marked the evil king’s defeat
He rose from the grave conquering
Sin and death no longer triumphing
We, the believing, are yet in Christ’s glad kingdom
Still the defeated enemy rasps to diminish our freedom
Yet the King’s First coming is proof for the Second.
So our song will not be silent!
His light is spreading across the land:
“He is coming. Be ready! Our King is arriving again!”
So in the heaviness of these days
Let anticipation frame your ways
For just as surely as the King’s first arrival,
So He will be arriving again
And His kingdom will have no end.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)
This Christmas… God is inviting those lost in darkness, under the rule of sin and death, to come home to His love in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way of rescue.
Will you repent and trust in Him alone today?
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From our family to yours… we deeply appreciate all the wonderful friends and family members God has given us! Thank you for loving and encouraging us in the Gospel.
May God bless you with abundant grace and peace today as you celebrate and sing of Christ the Incarnate Son.
May you continue to greatly delight in Christ as you walk in the Light.
And here’s a pic with all of us smiling at the same moment, too. 🙂
Merry Christmas!
From the Breznau Family…
Merry Christmas ~ From the Breznau clan (2015)
