Pastor Josh over at The Common Place commonplacechurch.com asked me this past week to write up a poem to introduce Advent. He's starting this five-week series leading up to Christmas with some sermons pointing to traditional Christmas carols and tying them into scripture and the Gospel.
The poem he had me write was about the shepherds, and I think I hit it. I've been in a conversation recently with my buddy Ben over at superstarrunner.tumblr.com about Advent calendars and the fact that Jesus doesn't get mentioned anymore. You often just get candy (or in my case, Lego) and He's nowhere to be found. Advent is about the coming of the Christ child, our savior. This poem is a bit about that, and what you do get.
Anyhow, Josh started his series discussing Luke 2:8-20, or the better known Peanuts Christmas special where Linus lays out the real meaning of Christmas. Josh brought O Come, All Ye Faithful into the mix and the fact that the heavenly hosts made themselves (and Christ) known to shepherds of all people.
"Worship is gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth." says John Piper in Desiring God. Pastor Josh says that the attitude behind the gift we've been given reflects back to the giver.
Knock
The countdown to Christmas
isn’t about what’s behind
door number one.
All of that
is already behind you.
Leading up
to this
exact
moment,
the culmination
of the many rooms
within His mansion.
No room at this inn
is no matter.
Shiftless shepherds
make their way.
Sleeping out under the stars
better than behind bars
of the rooms
that keep us
locked away.
Unending numbered days
far afield,
common as
the countless stars above.
How, then,
did they get to be
the chosen ones
to see the star
of the advent
of the
Chosen One?
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