The Joy of Glory

Every year, I try my hand at poetry as a Christmas gift to the body of Shades Valley Community Church. This Advent season, we’ve been reflecting on the implications of the incarnation through a series entitled: Embodied Wonder. The poem below is my attempt at expressing the truths we’ve seen in a way that, I pray, helps us feel the significance of the incarnation with all of our heart, mind, and strength. In other words, I pray we feel the wonder of God embodied with every ounce of our embodied selves.

Merry Christmas, 
Pastor Jonathan

Embodied Wonder

In the beginning 
In the dark 
You spoke that we might see 
Who you are 
Who we are 
And who we are to be 

Lifeless dirt 
Until your breath 
Blew spirit into flesh 
But disembodied 
Wise sounding folly 
Led us into death 

Yet in our sin 
In the dark 
You spoke that we might see 
The swaddled Word 
Embodied heard 
We beheld his glory 

Shepherds knelt 
Magi came 
To see the newborn king 
And bowing down 
To one uncrowned 
In worship they received 

The light has shone 
In the dark 
Incarnate now we see 
Embodied wonder 
Like no other 
Much more than what he seemed 

Oh Christ you came 
Please come again 
Your Advent is our need 
Until that day 
We watch and pray 
To see Wonder embodied