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 how God put flesh on every promise he ever made in Christ. The poem below is my attempt at expressing the truths we’ve seen in a way that leads us to worship the Word made flesh

Merry Christmas, 
Pastor Jonathan

The Advent of the Word

Eternally Father, Spirit, Son
Eternally love, the three in one
Overflowing in revelation,
You spoke for our eternal jubilation

Light and dark, Sun and Moon
Land and sea, your words the womb
Bursting for, birth of creation
Your word made flesh, celebration

Then sin and death, unholy mess
beauty marred by brokenness
But still you spoke to our darkness
Flickering hope that was your promise

Through the years you fanned the flame
Called out your people, gave us a name
Brought us to a place to hallow
Still all of this was merely shadow

The prophets made the shadow stunning
A grainy picture of one who’s coming
He’d be your word come in the flesh
who alone could conquer sin and death

Then silence, waiting in the dark
Your word seemed failing, like my heart
Four hundred years without a sound
Hope seemed buried in the ground

Then bursting forth from this tomb
Your word came literally from a womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail incarnate deity

Jesus Christ, eternal Son
making known the three in one
Overflowing revelation
he was born for our jubilation

Sin and death, unholy mess
all beauty marred by brokenness
are by his birth being remade
A work he’ll come to complete one day

His first Advent caused celebration
His second will bring consummation
To all you’ve promised us oh Lord
He is coming, Advent of the Word