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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Hymn of the Incarnation


In the midnight of the Ages,
In the midnight dark and lone,
When the heroes and the sages
In life’s battle faint had grown;
When the world’s great heart was lying
Like a corpse upon its bier,
Then, through heaven, a voice went crying
“God is near!”

In the midnight of the nations,
When the Morning Land was dead,
And to woes and lamentations
Earth in agony was wed;
Rose a cry of fearful wailing
From the stormy nether sphere,
“Lo! the pagan orb is paling,
God is near!”

In the midnight of Earth’s errors,
When the serpent’s monstrous head,
From its eyes shot lurid terrors
While upon her breasts it fed,
When the faith in the Hereafter
Had no prophet, bard, or seer,
Rang a voice, through sin’s wild laughter -
“God is near!”

Where a virgin, pure, adoring,
Worshiped God who reigns above,
Came a glorious outburst, pouring
From Jehovah’s heart of love;
And an angel spake, “Hail Maiden;
In thy inmost bosom sphere
Thou with child from Heaven art laden -
God is near!”

Through the seraph universes
Shone a flame of circling light;
While dark Hades rang with curses
It unfolded form and might.
Then a Child to earth was given,
And He stood beside Earth’s bier
Crying loud, “Arise forgiven,
God is here!”

As a meteor star that falleth
Sank the world from out its place;
Or a ravished bride that calleth
From a serpent’s loathed embrace;
Lo! through storms of lava ashes
Came a voice, her heart to cheer,
Thundering through the lightning flashes,
“God is here!”

Who shall tell the solemn story
Of the Form that God possessed?
Of the temples pierced and gory
And the wounds in feet and breast?
All the angels worshipped round Him
When the bloody cross was near,
Crying to the men who bound Him,
“God is here!”

In His Love’s transfiguration,
When He rose, the world to free,
Seen by every angel nation
In DIVINE HUMANITY,
All the universe adoring
Saw the end of evil near,
Crying loud, in one outpouring,
“God is here!”

-T.L. Harris

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