I think your song, Rob, would fit "On the banks of the Ohio", although the
words of that song might possibly conjure up unfortunate associations in the
minds of the congregation. I find a lot of songs with an irregular metre go
well to folk tunes.
It occurred to me years ago that there wasn't much about Joseph in the way of
Christmas songs, and I wrote the following, intended as a solo, rather than a
congregational item. Most of the words came to me as I was driving to an
evening preaching appointment, and I had to pull into a field gateway to jot
them down on a scrap of paper while they were fresh in my mind. I composed my
own tune to it, a simple one to go with three guitar chords.
In our little Christmas Crib Joseph stands holding a lantern, looking down at
the baby protectively, but with a slightly bewildered look on his face too.
That was the scene in my mind as I wrote the words.
Standing in the shadows, looking down in awe
at the newborn baby, sleeping on the straw.
Son of God Almighty, now you've had your birth,
I must be your father, to guard you here on earth.
"You shall call him Jesus," so the angel said,
"Take his mother, Mary, she is yours to wed.
He shall save his people from the power of sin and death."
Who'd have thought that so much good could come from Nazareth?
What can be the meaning? I don't understand.
Just a working carpenter, an ordinary man.
Why should such a thing as this be happening to me?
All I know is, as God wills, so it must surely be.
Who can tell the ways of God? Who can know his will?
Why he chooses people his purpose to fulfil?
Lord, I pray you'll show me what I have to do
to keep this child of yours from harm, so he may honour you.
Standing in the shadows, looking down in awe
at the new born baby, sleeping on the straw.
Son of God Almighty, now you've had your birth
I must be your father, to guard you here on earth.
John Barnett
On 14 December 2020 at 13:57 Rob Weir <RobWeir@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
This year I've had my churches focussing on Angels for Advent - bringing
a message of hope! I think I gave yesterday's preacher a bit of a hospital
pass though - it was to be about the Angel appearing to Joseph, and when you
look at the hymns and carols, there's very little about the guy. I wrote a
poem for a devotional I did, and thought I'd share it with the group - it
doesn't quite scan perfectly, but thinking that with a bit of modification I
could get it to fit to something like Calon Lan... suggestions welcome! The
other hymn-writing challenge I keep thinking about is the Benedictus (Luke
1:68-79), for which there seems to be a distinct absence in either StF or
H&P...
In dark of night, the Angel came
Standing on the empty air
In Its eyes were sparks of flame
Its open wings with light did flare.
"Listen Joseph! Do not fear!"
The voice with quiet thunder sighed;
"Through Mary will the Lord draw near
In her God's power can't be denied."
"Now take her for your own", he said
"And know that God remains with you
Cherish her and raise the child
You know this is what you must do."
As Jesus grew and laughed and cried,
Good Joseph remained faithful, too;
Mary staying by his side
"And know that God remains with you!"
--
Rev. Rob Weir
Cheshire South Methodist Circuit
St. Johns Whitchurch, Tallarn Green and Brown Knowl Methodist Churches
