Merry Christmas! Today I have a real treat for you: a Christmas hymn by Mark Preus. He hadn’t settled on a tune for it yet, but on his Facebook page was accepting suggestions. At the end of the Christmas poem, you can see the hymn tune suggestion he liked the most. 
From Mark Preus: The sixth verse is my favorite.
A Christmas Hymn
By Rev. Mark Preus
1 In the darkness shines the Light,
Which no shadows overcame;
Flesh and blood had failed the fight
Till God put on flesh His name –
For a Child is born for us,
Christ, the Lord our Righteousness.
2 He who spoke and all was made
Sleeps where humble creatures fed;
In a lowly manger laid
By a Virgin, as He said.
If He so would choose to live,
What will He to you not give?
3 See from Heaven’s stars appear
What God promised Abraham;
Jacob’s star proclaims Him here –
Shepherds need not bring a lamb;
God provides the spotless One –
Woman’s Seed and God’s own Son.
4 All is here that man has lost,
Wrapped in dust from which we came;
All the woe our sinning cost
God is Man as His to claim;
He, who spoke with Sinai’s awe,
Takes our place beneath the Law.
5 There is not so dark a sin
Which this Light will not reveal
Not on you, but now on Him,
With His wounds your wounds to heal;
Born to die to take away
All that makes the sinner stray.
6 Satan, would you now accuse?
See my Flesh and Blood above;
What with lies you made me lose,
Now is lifted up by love
To the Father’s highest throne
In the flesh God loves to own.
7 Come, my heart, by earth weighed down;
In the manger is your rest.
Here in hay is heaven’s crown;
All who trust in Him are blest.
Heaven here God’s glory sees
And for men goodwill and peace.
8 Though the flow’r of flesh may wilt,
Here my heart in faith will bloom;
God is flesh to take my guilt,
And to leave a garden’s tomb,
Giving me for death’s decay
Life that will not fade away.
9 Jesus, from Your manger speak
Peace the world could never give;
With Your Light my darkness break;
Meek You are, meek make me live
Till I see Your glory shine
In the mansions You make mine.
JESU JESU, DU MEIN HIRT is the best one shown yet. You can find that here.
PS. Sorry I didn’t originally edit Rev. Preus’s Facebook post! I forgot I hadn’t! Rev. Preus is the poet here!!
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