Get Past the Wrappings

 

For God so loved

Is what Christmas means

And there is nothing wrong

With the manger scene.

It may look differently

Depending on one’s location

But the principal thing

Is our salvation.

Whether the baby was white

Or black was his colour,

He was God incarnate

And that’s all that matters.

 

 

He was a global citizen

And the Saviour of the world,

Salvation is found in no other

As stated in God’s Word.

We are easily carried astray

By silly non-arguments

That drag us away

From the Father’s intent.

We argue vehemently

Over the date of Christ’s birth

Rather than focus on the purpose

Why he came to earth. 

We celebrate his birth

And we commemorate his death,

We rejoice in his resurrection

And in him we are blessed.

But daily we fight

Over the wrappings of the Gift

And throughout Christendom

Create many a rift.

Man-made traditions

Become the primary thing

And where peripherals differ

At the other insults we fling.

  

Until the real essence is lost

And only the wrappings remain,

The real purpose escapes us

And our religion is vain.

Get past the wrappings

At this Christmas tide,

Celebrate Christmas if you must

But in Christ abide.

For whether we celebrate

Or whether we celebrate not,

Let every born again believer

Be aware of his lot.

A new creation in Christ

And indwelt by the Holy Spirit,

A child of the Heavenly Father

With our sin problem fixed.

Get past the wrappings

And see the Gift as revealed

And like the blind man in Matthew

Simply say, Lord I believe.

For whosoever believes

Will God’s Christmas Gift receive

In the Christ of Christmas

Who is our Saviour indeed.

Get past the wrappings

Let the Saviour be the focus

And rejoice in the unmistakable fact

Christ came down at Christmas.

Stewart Russell © December 2019