"The Christmas Guest"
(Unknown Author)
It happened one day at December's end
Some neighbors called on an old-time friend.
And they found his shop so meager and mean,
Made joyous with a thousand boughs of green.
And old Conrad was sitting with face shine.
When he suddenly stopped as he stitched the twine.
And he said "My friends at dawn today,
When the cock was crowing the night away,
"The Lord appeared in a dream to me.
And He said, 'I'm coming your Guest to be
So I've been busy with feet astir,
Strewing my shop with branches of fir.
"The table is spread and the kettle is shined,
And over the rafters the holly is twined.
And now I'll wait for my Lord to appear;
And listen closely so I will hear,
"His steps as He nears my humble place.
And I'll open the door and I'll look on His Face."
Then his friends went home and left Conrad alone,
For this was the happiest day he had known.
For long since his family had passed away.
And Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas Day.
But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas Guest,
This Christmas would be the dearest and best.
So he listened with only joy in his heart,
And with every sound he would rise with a start,
And looked for the Lord to be at his door.
Like the vision that he had had a few hours before.
So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,
But all he could see on the snow covered ground
Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn.
And all his clothes were ragged and worn.
But old Conrad was touched and he went to the door
And he said, "Your feet must be cold and sore.
I have some shoes in my shop for you.
And I have a coat to keep you warmer, too."
So with grateful heart the man went away.
But Conrad noticed the time of the day
And wondered what made the dear Lord so late,
And how much longer he'd have to wait.
Then he heard another knock, and he ran to the door,
But it was only a stranger once more.
A bent old lady with a shawl of black,
And a bundle of kindling piled on her back.
But she asked only for a place to rest,
A place that was reserved,
For Conrad's Great Guest.
But her voice seemed to plead.
"Don't send me away,
Let me rest for awhile this Christmas Day."
So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup
And told her to sit at the table and sup.
After she had left, he was filled with dismay
For he saw that the hours were slipping away
The Lord had not come as He said He would
And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.
When out of the stillness he heard a cry.
"Please help, me and tell me . . . where am I?"
So again he opened his friendly door.
And stood disappointed as twice before.
It was a child who had wandered away,
And was lost from her family on Christmas Day.
Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad,
But he knew he could make this little girl glad.
So he called her in and he wiped her tears,
And he quieted all her childish fears.
Then he led her back to her home once more.
Then as he entered his own darkened door,
He knew that the Lord was not coming today,
For the hours of Christmas, had all passed away.
So he went to his room, and he knelt down to pray.
He said, "Lord, why did You delay?
"What kept You from coming to call on me?
I wanted so much Your face to see."
Then softly, in the silence, a voice he heard.
"Lift up your head . . . I have kept My Word.
"Three times My shadow crossed your floor.
Three times I came to your lowly door.
I was the beggar with bruised cold feet;
I was the woman you gave something to eat;
"I was the child on the homeless street.
Three times I knocked, three times I came in,
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.
Of all the gifts, love is the best.
I was honored to be your Christmas Guest."
Matthew 25:32-46 (NIV)
"All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the
goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his
right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the
kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and
you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I
was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Then the righteous will answer him,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or
thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and
invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in
prison and go to visit you?'
The King will reply, 'I tell you the
truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did
for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are
cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was
hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to
drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you
did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
They also will answer, 'Lord, when did
we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in
prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever
you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Then they
will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.'"
One starlit night
One couple in distress
One shabby stable
Only one place to rest
One group of shepherds
One night long ago
One angel's message
Only one place to go
One Wiseman's journey
One king did they seek
One Son of David
Only one child so meek
One reason for coming
One goal on earth's sod
One death that redeems
Only one way to God.
(Myra Dye)
"Suddenly a great company of the
heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God
and saying,
'Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his
favor rests.'"
Luke 2:13-14 (NIV)
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