In attempting to decide what song to present in today’s post, I’ve rummaged further through my Christmas CDs (yes, I still have those things… more help to me than Google at this point in time).

I can assure you that Let it Snow as sung by Boys II Men with Brian McKnight did not make the cut. Nor did The Tin Lids’ rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas. The double disk compilation I’ve got them on was an ill-considered purchase made whilst waiting in a long line at an Australia Post one December.

Instead, in continuing with the rather melancholy tunes, I’m going to go with the song Bethlehem Town.

It’s hard to tell from the Biblical accounts, just how much Mary and Joseph understood about their son and when they realised it all. The Bible records that when Jesus started getting random visitors kneeling and worshipping him, Mary pondered these things.

Just what did she ponder though? What did she realised about what Jesus would have to suffer, if she did? Imagine looking into the eyes of a child you’ve just given birth to and knowing what you’d birthed: his suffering and death for the salvation of humanity.

It’s heavy stuff.

Yours in pondering,

Alison

Lyrics credited to Jars of Clay

Oh, Mary, Joseph, rest your eyes
try not to think of the ending
world full of empty, He will die
but tonight He is still just a child

The silent night drifts all away
and the angels are dancing around you
there’s the joy of knowing He’ll save the world
overshadowing the pain that He’ll go through

Have you cursed at the wind
have you cried to the heavens
have you fought with this mercy you don’t understand
when the wise men kneel down
to kiss the hand of this king they found
in Bethlehem town

Will you hold back the years a while
will you dream that this man could always be a child
and never carry all the weight
of the dirt and the distance and the company we keep

And did the stars shine much brighter that night
you gave birth to the death that would bring us to life
and did the mystery keep you awake
was the sound of His little heart too much to take

Oh, I don’t understand
when the wise men kneel down
to kiss the hand of this king they found

Have you cursed at the wind
have you cried to the heavens
have you fought with this mercy you don’t understand
when the wise men kneel down
to kiss the hand of this king they found

In Bethlehem town