Christmas Has Its Cradle
by Rae E Whitney
Christmas has its cradle, where a Baby cried;
Did the lantern’s shadow show Him crucified?
Did He foresee darkly His life’s willing loss?
Christmas has its cradle and Easter has its cross.
Christmas has its cradle, shepherds came to see
Little Son of Mary Lamb of God to be;
Had His Father warned Him, none would grant Him room
Save in the Christmas cradle and in the Easter tomb?
Christmas has its cradle, Wise men came to bring
Myrrh and gold and incense, offerings for a King;
Myrrh alone stayed with Him, death’s balm for this Boy,
From the Christmas cradle and to His Easter joy.
Christmas has its cradle, where that Baby cried;
In the Easter garden, Christ lay, crucified;
When death’s power was conquered, God’s life through Him poured;
Christmas has its cradle and Easter has its Lord!
We celebrate Christmas in part for the manger, and in whole for the empty tomb. The One who came as the greatest gift wasn’t fully delivered until He finished the work He came to do: to seek and to save the lost. To take the punishment of mankind’s sins upon Himself then defeat death and conquer the grave. Hallelujah He is risen indeed makes provision for us to sing oh holy night and proclaim good tidings of great joy!
Christmas most likely finds many, if not most of us, weary of the sin-filled world where death temporarily stings and where Jesus’ rule has not yet been eternally established.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
And so, even as we celebrate Jesus’ first coming, we look towards His coming again when God’s Kingdom will reign in the new Heaven and new earth. Where all will be full of truth, beauty, and good. Where we can be joy-filled forever and live holy as He is holy. Where we can see face to face and know Him even as we are fully known by Him. Where we can live at peace with men and nature. Where all is reestablished aright.
Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!
May we ever strain our eyes towards Jesus and Heaven. May we major on the people and the work that is important, and minor on the mirage of material possessions, status, and striving for fleeting pleasures. May we live as Christ. Lord Jesus, help us to do so!
Christmas has its cradle and Easter has its Lord…
Merry Christmas,
Thank you. I stumbled across this today in a hymnal at a church I visited while with my mother in law (not my home state). I wanted a photocopy, but then we rushed out and I forgot to ask! Such a rich, beautiful tapestry of song.