THE NIGHT IT HAPPENED.
WE WERE SITTING IN THE STILLNESS
WATCHING OUR SHEEP NEAR BETHLEHEM VILLAGE.
NO IDEA OF THE MOMENTOUS MOMENT ABOUT TO HAPPEN
THE REVEALING SPLIT SECOND OF AN ANGEL’S RADIANCE
OF THE FIELD LIT UP WITH HOLY GLORY
OUR EYES DAZZLED, OUR BODIES FROZEN.
I’VE GOT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU GUYS.
SAID THE AWESOME MESSENGER,
THE BEST NEWS THE WORLD HAS EVER HAD.
IT’S FOR YOU, NOT JUST THE PRIESTS, THE RICH
BUT FOR EVERYONE, BOTH HIGH AND LOW.
FOR TODAY IN BETHLEHEM A RESCUER WAS BORN
HE IS THE LORD YAHWEH, THE MESSIAH.
YOU’LL KNOW IT’S HIM BY THIS SIGN
OF BEING WRAPPED IN STRIPS OF CLOTH
AND LYING IN A FEEDING TROUGH.
JOY JUMPED IN OUR CHESTS
WE WERE ALL QUIVER AND TINGLE
AS THE ANGEL CHOIR APPEARED
ABLAZE WITH SWEETEST SINGING:
GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN
ON EARTH PEACE AND GOODWILL
TOWARDS EVERY MAN AND WOMAN.
WE WERE OFF AS SOON AS THE ANGEL SHOW
DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW, TO SEE THIS GOD-CHILD
THAT HAD BEEN REVEALED TO US FEW.
THE MUSIC STILL PLAYING IN OUR HEADS.
WE RAN INTO THE VILLAGE ASKING AND KNOCKING
UNTIL WE FOUND THE VERY PLACE
WHERE THE SAVIOUR WAS LYING.
WE WORSHIPPED AND BOWED TO THIS TINY CHILD
KNOWING THAT HE WAS EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US.
YOU COULDN’T KEEP US QUIET FROM THEN ON
HIGH-FIVING, PRAISING, TELLING OUR AMAZING
ENCOUNTER TO EVERYONE.
Words by Christine Pearson
