(I)
A young virgin was surprised by an angel of the Lord,
Bringing an important message, from almighty God,
Who said, “you will soon be pregnant, and will bear a son,
Amazed she replied, “but of men I know not one”,

A mighty son of David he will surely be,
To lead God’s people to a final victory,
All the mysterious prophesies of old,
Will before you now amazingly unfold,

Her heart thus strengthened with faith and hope and love
From our dear Saviour high in heaven above,
She worshiped in peace and sweet accord,

My soul now magnifies the Lord,
But you must go your cousin Elizabeth to meet,
Even in old age, soon a baby she will greet,

(II)
When Mary then arrived in Elizabeth’s room,
The babe who was doubtless to be born very soon,
Leap for happiness and joy deep within her womb,

Elizabeth it seems already knew the story,
That Mary would bear the Christ of eternal glory,
As soon as you arrived, the babe leap within my womb, said she,

What an honor that the mother of my Lord should visit me,
So the day soon arrived for John the Baptists birth,
And no greater prophet has ever walked the earth,

(III)

Joseph though had no idea of God’s wondrous plan,
And thinking Mary had slept with some other man,
As most righteous men would think of course,
Felt it was the best to sue for a divorce,

So the angel to him also came, to reveal Jehovah’s wondrous plan,
That the Almighty Creator would now become a man,
The seed within Mary, was from the Holy Spirit,
So both God’s and man’s nature Christ would thus inherit

So he humbly obeyed, and took her as his wife,
Soon to bear witness to this brand new life,
Caesar however had decreed that a census must be done,

So they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem town,
But there was no room for them in the inn that day
So they found refuge in a stable down the way,
And the King of Glory was laid in a manger filled with hay,

(IV)
The angels were kept busy once again that night,
Appearing to some shepherds, who received quite a fright,
They were then also told the amazing truth,
Of the birth of the Messiah, Son of David, Of Boaz and Ruth,

They hasted to the stable, and found the stable bare,
Kneeling in adoration, before God’s Son and chosen heir,
Soon after return to Nazareth, wise men from the east,
Came searching for the one Isaiah calls the Prince of Peace,

They visited king Herod, expecting him in a palace to be born,
But the cruel king wanted nothing but to make his parents mourned,
He wanted not the slightest competition, it would surely seem,
So sought to end God’s purpose, and mankind’s long- time dream,

Bethlehem, says Micah, “Though you’re but a little town,
Out of you will come a Saviour who will wear the promised crown”,
Jeremiah then picks up the story, of Rachel weeping and sad,
As so many infants lay by wicked Herod dead,

 (V)
Gladly an angel had been busy once again,
And they were safe in Egypt to avoid that pain,
Once they took the babe to the temple to present him to the Lord,

And God’s aged servant Simeon warned, “your heart will be pierced by a sword,”
He prophetically looked forward, to that day before the cross,
When Mary shared something of Christs agony and loss

Cruel nails in hands and feet, thorns that made his only crown,
His back so mutilated and torn that the blood just trickled down,
So although the rugged cross was not a real surprise,
Tears undoubtedly would have filled dear Mary’s eyes,

(VI)
An even greater pain however was when the Father turned away his face,
As he bore the awful burden of human sin, of man’s disgrace,
The sun was blotted out that day to hide the agony
Of Jesus final hours as he hung upon the tree,

There were two Mary’s who sought the body on resurrection day,
When the soldiers were terrified as the angel rolled the stone away,
Strangely to me it doesn’t seem clear if she was one,
But what a glorious and touching moment, when she met her risen son,

On judgment day I wonder will she receive a special reward, For her
humble part in bearing the Messiah, Son of man and Son of God,
One thing though is most certain, her joy will be complete,
With redeemed from every land, worshipping at her son, her Saviour’s feet …..

Written : Peter Bardsley

Photo by Amanda Chu