Emmanuel — behold Him
the Meek and Mighty, child
the universe’s Maker come
to what we have defiled
Emmanuel — o praise Him
the righteous Warrior wise
He comes the fettered heart to free
and none will He despise
Emmanuel — adore Him
the Shepherd tender, true
He comes the broken to restore
and make all old things new
Emmanuel — hosanna
o, God-With-Us, save!
come sing Your song of triumph
from the manger past the grave
i thank Thee, uncreated Son
that Thou didst deign to shine
within the darkness of my soul
and warm my heart with Thine
i thank Thee, ever-endless One
Who left Thy holy throne
to take my evanescent frame
and wear it as Thine own
i thank Thee, Living Water sweet
Whose life Thou freely gave
that Thou didst stoop to wash my feet
and me from death didst save
i thank Thee, shatterer of night
Thou art eternal Day
when new life rises with the morn
the old shall flee away
go seek Him in the country
go find Him by the way
go see that in your night has dawned
the light of endless day
go seek Him in the village
go praise Him in the town
go tell the true and wild tale
of God to earth come down
go seek Him in the city
go paint Him on the streets
go sing the song of zion
and of triumph through defeat
go seek Him in the quiet
go dance amid the storm
go worship in the chaos
unto us a Child is born
Of Cathedral Tunes –
Where the Meanings, are –
Sent us of the Air –
On the look of Death –
You say “be anxious for nothing” —
i sometimes wonder if You realize
how big “nothing” is to someone
of my smallness. (of course You do.)
i saw the planets shining brightly
in the early morning darkness
and remembered how impossibly vast
were the tiny pin-prick stars
barely visible to my sleepy eyes.
they number beyond the billions
yet You know all their names;
some days i hardly remember mine.
things are not what i expected
but i still don’t know what they are …
time and again i leap from my chair
with the wish to run for miles
but just clench my fists in silent screams.
did You ever feel this restless ache,
You who bore with stubborn humanity
far beyond the breaking point?
All-Knowing, Strong and Present One —
what are You working through my frailty?
sometimes i forget what Your name
means, o Emmanuel, God with us.
it rolls off the tongue easily
as a lesson learned by a little child —
a foreign word made familiar,
innocuous, even, by frequent use.
but God — the Consuming Fire
the Beginning and Endless
eternally in present tense
the Speaker into being
of that which was not
and Sustainer of all
which in Him is …
God with — among
beside, present,
having, together
inextricably joined to …
God with us — us?
the King of glory stepping
into flesh like ours
that tears and wears out,
the Light of the world
looking through eyes
limited by darkness,
the ageless Word arriving
as a baby, with nothing
but a cry?
how inconceivable.
yet You
God with me
know better
than i.
