Beneath the Christmas Wrapping

Hustle, bustle, rush and run
Santa’s on his way!
Buy the gifts, brave the crowds,
For soon it’s Christmas Day!

The tree is up, the lights are on,
Decorations are in place.
Send out the cards, bake the treats,
It’s a frantic Christmas race!

Aunts and uncles, family, friends
Joy is in the air!
But why the celebration?
Why parties everywhere?

The story is quite humble.
No ribbons, bags or bows.
The reason for our Christmas,
Is a child not everybody knows.

He was birthed in a stable
Filled with animals that smelled,
To very young and frightened parents
Who knew exactly the babe they held.

Did they think it would be different
To be the parents of a king?
Adorned with royal garb and dwelling,
To never lack a thing?

What went through their minds that night?
In that stable all alone?
Did they wonder what God was thinking
To have His son born so unknown?

Yet there were some who knew
That a Savior had been born.
Angels gazed with wide-eyed wonder
At His precious, little form.

Then some shepherds and some wise men
Led by those angels and a star
Searched so very fervently
To find this child—how bizarre...

Have we searched and have we wondered
About what’s buried underneath
All those piles of gifts and ribbons,
Those trees and Christmas wreaths?

It’s the hero of our story,
The one of whom we all should sing.
For that humble little baby
Grew into our Savior and our King.

Let's take some time this season
To reflect on things more deep
Than the gifts and decorations
And Santa who comes when we’re asleep.

You’ll find with careful searching
So much joy and love there, too...
In a Prince of Peace, a Savior
Born in a stable, just for you!