"The Gift of Life"

by Naomi B.
from Virtuous Daughters, April/May 2020~Volume 20, Number 1

"Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the life of righteousness 
shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17

 Lovely, wondrous mystery,
God became a man
Took upon Him form of flesh,
Wrapped in swaddling bands!
 
Left all heaven's glory bright,
The angels' adoration,
For sinful man who hated light,
His fallen, stained creation.
 
'Twas a world that groaned in night,
'Neath sin's shameful cover,
Broken hearts, and broken lives,
At war with one another.
 
Earth hushed in silent waiting,
In the fullness of His time,
God performed a miracle,
Work of His hand divine.
 
A precious baby's helpless cry--
A new life was begun,
This Baby had been born to die,
God loved so that He gave His Son.
 
The Word incarnate, Counselor,
Glorious Prince of Peace,
Wonderful, the coming King,
Whose reign shall never cease.
 
God made manifest in flesh,
Blessed Three-in-One,
God revealed in this Child,
His own beloved Son!

Falls a shadow cold and dark
Across the manger there,
Foretaste of a coming grief,
Dims the luster of the star.
 
Lo! I see a painful cross,
The sinless Lamb of God,
Lays down His life for sinful man,
Sacrifice of love!
 
Death until now has held its sway,
In an unbroken reign,
But He by dying conquered death,
In all its fiercest pain.
 
The Just for unjust gave Himself,
Bore all our sin and grief,
Our stripes were laid on Jesus Christ,
That we might find relief.

For all have sinned and fallen short,
Of God's own perfect glory,
Doomed to die eternally,
If man had writ the story...
 
But justified by faith we may,
With God have perfect peace
Sweet joy for now, and soon to come,
From sin and death release!
 
For by one man, death reigned alone,
Until another Man, the Man Christ Jesus,
left His throne,
And came from heaven-land.
 
Now offers He abundant grace,
The gift of righteousness--
That we may reign in life by One,
Even our Lord Jesus Christ!
 
We see the manger and the cross,
A wondrous Gift, a fearful loss!
That we might reconciled be,
Our Savior died, for you, for me.
 
Our sin, though red as scarlet,
Can be made as white as snow,
Because the Baby Boy was born,
Two thousand years ago!
 
The offence great--much more the Gift!
The sin abounds, much more the Grace!
Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ,
Redeemer of the human race!