Henrietta Dubb's Diary
Angels, Poetry and Hope - 1
We all know what December 25th is, don't we? That's when we
celebrate Christmas, Jesus' birthday. Let me tell you some stories about Jesus'
birth. Part of the story is the poetry in which the story has come down to us:
poems by an angel, poems by a priest called Zacharias, and poems by Lizzie his
wife.
Zach was uncle to a young woman named Mary who was also a deft
hand at writing poems. This story helps us discover that God has gifted angels
who compose pretty powerful poetry!
Uncle Zach was married to Cousin Lizzie. They wanted to have children but none had come. They were getting on in years. Our first poem was composed in the temple one day when an angel visited Uncle Zach. He had come with God's message for Zach.
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Stress less Zach God has heard your prayer Now you will become a dad Liz your wife a son will bear. |
Name him John Go now wait his coming birth Holy Spirited his strength Special gift to all the earth. |
His the task Call "Come back!" to Is-ra-el Soon the Promised One arrives Many waiting, who can tell? |
Zach liked it (he was good at remembering poems, too) but then he started arguing with the angel.
I'm old and I'm grey
And we've run out of steam
How can I know
This isn't a dream?
And the angel stopped his talk.
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I'm Gabriel, God's
angel A messenger, I'm not
the boss. Good news is what I
bring to you Instead you argue 'bout the toss. |
And that's no little
matter Zach, that you now choose
to fob! To save face as
John's father I'd better close your
gob. |
While Zach had to wait in silence and Liz, being his creative wife, made up this poem about the baby finally on the way. Don't knock it! Being pretty old it took her five months to write this down.
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So now look at me Isn't God great He's known all along He's never too late. For us it's the time That He has declared Now I'm ready for mum-hood With Him I'm not scared |
For who is to worry If God says I'm OK I may be grand motherly But then who's to say? What God allows happen By giving us John He's blessed me with honour From then and now on. |
Let others deride And think what they will When God grants a baby You're brim to the fill. |
This particular angel seems to have composed a few Christmas poems. When God specially gifts you, you can't help yourself. And the next stop was Mary's place. Mary liked poetry and singing. When the angel started she was very surprised but she was all ears and unlike Zac she didn't argue. Here are the first two stanzas of the angel's poem:
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Stress less Mary God from Heaven favours you Picked you out to bear a child His your first-born, named Jesu. |
Great He'll be Called Almighty, born a King Son of David, Jacob's end Eternal life to all shall bring. |
Mary replied:
With no husband (yet)
This makes me a special mother
No doubt God knows what He plans
He creates without a father.
The angel enjoyed Mary's reply a lot and continued:
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Brooding power Spirit from creation's start Will create within your womb The Holy Child of God's own heart. |
Don’t you know Cousin Liz and Uncle Zach May be old but God has heard Longing prayers from long time back? |
Six-months since John began and Zach first heard The angel's message. After all "Impossible!" is not God's word. |
Mary finished her poem:
Let it be
Since God's handmaid I am now
Happily shall I receive
As God the Lord fulfils His vow.
Mary arrived at the home of Lizzie and Zach to be their home-help. And as you can guess Lizzie composed a poem about Mary's arrival.
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Blesséd girl To visit me, and feel the touch Of God's own work within our lives We're His own harvest, all so much! Shouting out Your voice within, my babe awoke John started clapping, dancing hard He knows already that you spoke. Blesséd girl To trust the Lord and be the mum And God's own work within your life Brings Promise sure within your tum! |
I guess you're wondering what Mary said about all that was going on! Here it is:
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My life overflows In praise to the Lord I'm breathless but joyful At my Saviour's word He's seen where I live And just who I am He's honoured me greatly As nurse maid to His Lamb So all will say "Wow! What a blesséd young girl The Almighty has chosen!" My mind's in a whirl God's holy and merciful Year out and year in The humble find mercy Forgiveness from sin |
His strength is not troubled By the aloof and the loud He's put down the mighty Whose thrones are too proud. The low He's placed higher And the hungered are fed The rich are now bankrupt Emptyhanded instead He promised to Israel The help they would need To live as His servant As Abraham's seed. |
Henrietta Dubb, Christian citizen of the 21st century.
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December
2004 © Henrietta Dubb's Diary, is written and
published by Bruce C Wearne, 29 Lawrence Rd., Point Lonsdale Vic 3225
AUSTRALIA, 61-3-5258-3913. Each entry in the diary may be
photocopied or retransmitted in its entirety but shall not otherwise be
reprinted or transmitted without the author's written permission. This
is a project to encourage positive Christian citizenship, the
development of policies and political attitudes that better express our love
for God and our neighbour. Comments are welcome. Email can be sent to: bcwearne@ozemail.com.au
Web-site http://members.ozemail.com.au/~bcwearne/hdd.htm |