A Magi

 

 

Perhaps you had heard

There were three of us

But whether there were more or not

Is not my focus.

 

Maybe you thought

We started out together

But again, neither is this my focus

So, no need to bother.

 

I just want to share

The incredible experience I had

And let me tell you from the outset,

I am eternally glad.

 

Please understand upfront

That I was not a Jew

And thus, the more wonderful to me,

And perhaps also you.

 

 

 

I studied the constellations

With their countless stars

And I was able to tell their distance

Whether near of far.

 

They often told of events

Particularly in the future

And because of the Almighty God

I got the picture.

 

I was not an afterthought

But I was always included

And just like the shepherds earlier

I was not excluded.

 

 

 

I followed that star

That mysteriously moved

Straight to over King Herod’s place

To give him news.

 

News of a new born king

He did not even know

But to whom that star had pointed

And also showed. 

 

I left King Herod’s palace

Of course, none the wiser

But I found the star still waiting

To be my guider.

 

It guided me to a house

In which was a young child

And by whom, I felt the strong urge

To kneel beside.

 

 

 

I presented him a gift

And it was of myrrh

With which he would be anointed

When his death occurred.

 

To me that was strange

For he was just a toddler,

Why should death at this early stage

Be a bother?

 

There were two more gifts

That I can recall,

There were gold and frankincense;

Yes, that was all.

 

There was a great presence

There in that room,

And it was of a heavenly invitation

And not of doom.

 

 

 

What an experience

And what great salvation

To be in the same room as the one

To bring redemption!

 

Not only for the Jew

But for the Gentile as well

And what great news other magi and I

Had to tell!

 

Some call us wise men

And some call us kings

But I can tell, seeing the Christ child

Meant everything.

 

Stewart Russell © December 16, 2025

 

Worship Christ the Lord

 

 

The shepherds heard the news

As they plied their trade,

Watching sheep was their job

They did both night and day.

 

Tidings of great joy

The angels said to them

And this the shepherds understood

Was in the town of Bethlehem.

 

 

They didn’t worship the angels

When they saw them appear

But as the Bible shows us clearly,

They were sore afraid.

 

The Bible does not say

They worshipped the baby Jesus

But we can assume that this occurred

Without unnecessary fuss.

 

The angel had said to them

“Which is Christ, the Lord,”

This in referencing the baby Jesus,

Who came to be the Saviour.

 

 

The wisemen saw a star

That was unlike any other,

Unlike the others it was slowly moving

And they decided to follow.

 

They didn’t worship the star

But merely followed its trail,

And the fact it led to Herod’s palace

Says it’s not a fairy tale.

 

Their worship was reserved

For the baby Jesus

And having left the palace they discovered

Herod they could not trust.

 

 

His worship was a setup

The baby Jesus to destroy

But rather than return to Herod

Another way they employed.

 

All of this is to say to us

Christmas need not be pagan,

Surely it isn’t so for the born again

Who worship Christ, God’s Son.

 

For he is Christ the Lord

Just as the angel said

And rather than worship Christmas

Worship Christ instead.

 

Use the opportunity, I plead,

To follow the shepherds’ lead

And spread this Gospel message

With like fervour and zeal.

 

 

 

For unto us was born that day

A Saviour, Christ the Lord,

And to God, the Son and Holy Spirit,

Worship we should accord.

 

And not to another:

We should worship the Lord God only

And Him only

Should we serve.

 

Stewart Russell © December 17, 2024

 

Wisemen Seek

 

 

The shepherds were nigh,

The wisemen afar,

While the former knew the way

The latter followed a star.

 

How they came together

Only God knows

But they met at Herod’s palace,

The Bible shows.

 

They sought Jesus

Is what Herod was told

And he wanted to see him too:

A liar quite bold.

 

Journeying for two years

Having seen the sign,

This Jesus had to be palace-born

Is what they opined.

 

But he wasn’t there

And Herod couldn’t help,

Though his cunning expression

Showed how he felt.

 

 

“Search diligently for him

And when you find this king

Come and bring me word again

That I may worship him.”

 

Wisemen seek Jesus

And for the right reason,

Being aware that Jesus is the reason

For this season.

 

Take Christ out

And mas is all you’ve got

And though many are still deluded,

Without him is naught.

 

Hence, wisemen seek,

Seek to know the Christ

Who gave himself on Mt Calvary

As an atoning sacrifice.

 

 

Paying our debt,

The price of man’s sin

And inviting the whosoever-will

To come to him.

 

The wisest decision

That anyone can make

When in true repentance we say,

“Jesus, my heart take.”

 

He is a wiseman

That seeks the Saviour,

Just like those wisemen of old

Who found his favour.

 

Today if you hear him

Harden not your heart

But let this Christmas season

Be your initial start.

 

 

Wise men seek Christ

And wise women too,

Your star may be this truth today

That brings him into view.

 

Stewart Russell © December 9, 2024

 

Boxing Day

 

 

The rich have had their day

Today is for the poor,

Boxing Day is not about boxing-

Need I say more?

 

It was a day for servants

That worked all day Christmas,

These were in the employ

Of the rich and the famous.

 

Boxing Day could be said

To be poor people’s Christmas

Since on this particular day

They could have their fuss.

 

Gifts collected were boxed

And distributed to the poor

And these could enjoy themselves

Away from their usual chores.

 

So, today as you can see

Is really Christmas Day for me,

I should get my chance to celebrate

And have a Christmas spree.

 

Numbered among the poor

I eagerly anticipate my box,

You had your Christmas yesterday

But today I am taking the lot.

 

 

Cast off toys for the children

And a portion of your leftovers,

It would be really good, if you please,

To put in that ham shoulder.

 

That one from Christmas day

That was barely touched,

For my small household of eleven,

That’s not asking too much.

 

I will be back tomorrow

To do anything that you ask

But today that we call Boxing Day,

I’ll be away from such tasks.

 

Boxing Day was Christmas

But not for the rich and famous,

It was more for the lower classes

So they too could have a fuss.

 

 

Not so that first Christmas!

Those shepherds left their sheep

And they journeyed to Bethlehem

Where they found Jesus asleep.

 

The rich had no such privilege,

Theirs was two years later

Compared to the lowly shepherds

That saw him in a manger.

 

On that first Christmas morn

No, not on the Boxing Day,

The shepherds before the magi

Found Jesus who is the way.

 

 

That gift so crudely packaged

And distributed to the world

Was none other than the Saviour:

The eternal Living Word.

 

 

For he that was dead

Is alive and lives forevermore

And makes no distinction ever since

Between the rich and the poor.

 

For any that will come to him

Must first believe that he exists,

Just come to him in childlike trust

And in his cause enlist.

 

Then go and tell the world

Be it Christmas Day or Boxing Day,

Jesus is the reason for the season,

He is the only way!

 

Stewart Russell © December 26, 2023

 

My Christmas Prayer

 

 

Father, thank You for Jesus

That first Christmas morn,

Thank you for the circumstances

Under which he was born.

 

The fulfilment of promise

That was made to Abraham

And through the Lord, Jesus Christ

It has come down to man.

 

We thank you today, Father,

For that wonderful plan

Implemented by Jesus our Saviour

As fully God and fully Man.

 

Glory to God in the Highest

And on earth, peace!

Peace in the midst of earth’s turmoil

That never seems to cease.

 

Thanks for this peace today,

This Christmas Day

For ‘twas on that first Christmas

You introduced the Way.

Come let us go even now

And see what has come to pass,

In essence, what the shepherds said;

These men of lowly class.

 

 

And so too the alert magi

That had journeyed from afar

Led by the light of a heavenly body-

That natal star.

 

The lowest and the highest!

This wonderful salvation is for all

That would respond to Jesus

As he graciously calls.

 

Thanks be to the Father

And to His only begotten Son

And thanks to the Holy Spirit

These Three-in-One.

A Christ-centred Christmas!

That’s my prayer for one and all

As we remember the second Adam-

The one that did not fall.

 

The one who came as Emanuel

Meaning God is with us,

The one we celebrate this day-

None other than Jesus!

 

Stewart Russell © December 25, 2023

 

How Can This Be?

 

 

How can this be

Seeing I know not a man?

This was Mary’s question

Being unaware of the plan?

 

How can I know this

For I am an old man?

Zachariah was here too

When told of the plan?

 

Abraham and Sarah

Manoah and his wife:

All puzzled by a first child

Coming into their life.

 

The age of child bearing

Long had passed

With the exception of Mary;

Note what she asked.

 

 

How can this be

Seeing I know not a man?

Upon this hangs Salvation:

God’s redemptive plan.

 

A virgin shall bring forth,

How can this be?

Let us go to Bethlehem

And perhaps we will see.

 

The shepherds went

Being the first to do so

And they spread the news

As we now know.

 

That Holy seed in Mary

Was of the Holy Spirit,

This is recorded, my friend

In the Holy Writ.

 

It is an explanation of fact

Not a theory to please,

And that’s why scientists today

Can find no ease.

 

 

It is not a testable case

And thus, not observable

And so, they conclude

It is not possible.

 

How can this be?

They too are still asking

While the simple grasp it

With faith everlasting.

 

It is a question of fact

Meaning, it has actually been:

It is a fact of history;

Bethlehem’s the scene.

 

So, while we may ask,

How can this be,

It is absolutely necessary

We accept its veracity.

 

For salvation is dependent

On its simple acceptance,

Mixed with saving faith

And true repentance.

 

 

A virgin did bring forth

Having known no man,

This was Almighty God’s doing:

His Divine Plan.

 

It is older than time

Don’t ask me to explain,

I stick with God’s Revelation

Which He swore by His name.

 

For there is none greater

By which He can swear

Than by the I AM THAT I AM

And to me, that is clear.

 

Stewart Russell © December 28, 2021

 

The Best Christmas Gift Ever

Fear not: for, behold,

 I bring you good tidings

Of great joy,

Which shall be to all people.

The Gospel According to St Luke 2:10

Focus if you may

On God’s redemptive plan,

An infinite gift through Jesus Christ

Given to every man.

The gift of God’s Son

Of inestimable price,

Willingly given for us

As the Father’s sacrifice.

The best Christmas gift ever

An eternal treasure,

Given to you and me

At the Father’s pleasure.

No longer in a manger

But still the world’s Saviour

And the only way

To find God’s favour.

Receive Jesus now

Like the shepherds on that day

And, like the wise men,

Let the Saviour lead the way.

Neither is there salvation in any other

For there is none other name

Under heaven given among men,

Whereby we must be saved.

The Acts of the Apostles 4:12

Stewart Russell © December 2019