Hal Habecker
Dec 21
“Christmas and Creativity” (Joseph Bayly) The 25th Day of Advent
December 21, 2022
I want to encourage you to take time to reflect creatively about Christmas – to write, to think, to sing, to draw something, to make or create something, to do something creative. Joe Bayly was someone like that. He was a creative writer and thinker, and I want to share two of his Christmas poems with you today. He was one of those people in my early ministry years who encouraged me to celebrate Advent.
Joseph Bayly (1920-1986) was a friend and mentor to me. I had the privilege of working under his leadership for nearly 3 years (1980-1982) in the Christian Medical Society. He wrote two poems about Christmas that I have always loved, and I share them with you here. The first is a psalm for Christmas Eve, and the second is a psalm for Christmas Day. I hope they will encourage you.
“A Psalm for Christmas Eve”
Praise God for Christmas
Praise Him for the Incarnation
For Word made flesh.
I will not sing
of shepherds watching flocks
on frosty night
or angel choristers.
I will not sing
of stable bare in Bethlehem
or lowing oxen
wise men
trailing distant star
with gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Tonight I will sing
praise to the Father
who stood on heaven’s threshold
and said farewell to His Son
as he stepped across stars
to Bethlehem
and Jerusalem.
And I will sing
praise to the infinite eternal Son
who became most finite
a Baby
who would one day be executed
for my crimes.
Praise Him in the heavens.
Praise Him in the stable.
Praise Him in my heart.
“A Psalm of Christmas”
Lord we blame
the innkeeper
for only giving you
the stable
when his inn was full
but what about
all the others
who lived in Bethlehem
that night
when you were born.
Why were
all their houses
that weren’t full
of guests
fast closed
against the one
who contained you?
God bless
our little homes
this Christmastime
make them
big enough
to welcome you
contained in those
for whom the world
has no room
except
a cold and lonely
Christmas day.
Enjoy Wednesday, today, the 25th day of Advent