1 John 1:1 – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life;”
Turn for a moment from your hardsome toil;
Turn, if you will, from your earthly task;
Turn on a quest with no thought of recoil;
Turn with your heart, and your questions ask.
I’ll take you to a time in the far-spent past;
I’ll take you to a place upon a low hill;
I’ll take you to the feet of the First and the Last;
I’ll take you to the One who said, “Whosoever will.”
We first find Him in a manger low,
Born of a Virgin in a stable dim.
Angels and shepherds come and go
With peace and blessing as their glorious hymn.
Next we find Him in a carpenter’s gown
Hewing and planning with a master’s touch;
And then in the temple in Jerusalem town
Confounding the elders with His wisdom much.
Next by the Jordan being baptized of John,
Blessed by the Father and the heavenly Dove;
Then being tempted by the wicked one,
Fending off temptation with power from above.
Thus He began His ministry here,
Preaching and healing and raising the dead,
Expressing His love for His children so dear,
He and the twelve who went where He led.
This is the One of whom prophets spake,
The promised Messiah, the King of Kings.
He is the One who the worlds did make,
The giver of life and all good things.
And yet, here He is in the form of a man,
Come down to earth from Heaven’s bright shore,
Come to fulfill salvation’s sweet plan
That He might His wondrous creation restore.
To a criminal’s cross the Almighty did go,
Such suffering and shame He had to endure.
Yet, the cross was a must for grace to bestow,
‘Twas the only way our redemption to secure.
O see Him there, hanging between heaven and earth
Dying for the souls of Adam’s sinful race,
Creatures of flesh with no heavenly worth,
Yet He gave Himself to impart amazing grace.
Rejected of men whom He came to restore,
Betrayed and denied by those He loved most,
Forsaken by God for the sin that He bore,
All alone on the cross as He gave up the ghost.
The Christ of glory was laid within a tomb.
In death’s dark dominion the Saviour did lie.
All seemed so hopeless amid gathering gloom.
All nature stood breathless awaiting Heaven’s reply.
Had the hope of salvation come to an end?
Would the devil be victor o’er the soul of man?
Could the father of lies God’s mercy suspend?
Had he broken the back of God’s gracious plan?
But no, this was not to be Lucifer’s hour.
He couldn’t hold Christ in death’s ugly throes.
None can compete with God’s mighty pow’r.
With a burst of Heaven’s glory the Saviour arose!
© 2006 Paul Stultz
Turn for a moment from your hardsome toil;
Turn, if you will, from your earthly task;
Turn on a quest with no thought of recoil;
Turn with your heart, and your questions ask.
I’ll take you to a time in the far-spent past;
I’ll take you to a place upon a low hill;
I’ll take you to the feet of the First and the Last;
I’ll take you to the One who said, “Whosoever will.”
We first find Him in a manger low,
Born of a Virgin in a stable dim.
Angels and shepherds come and go
With peace and blessing as their glorious hymn.
Next we find Him in a carpenter’s gown
Hewing and planning with a master’s touch;
And then in the temple in Jerusalem town
Confounding the elders with His wisdom much.
Next by the Jordan being baptized of John,
Blessed by the Father and the heavenly Dove;
Then being tempted by the wicked one,
Fending off temptation with power from above.
Thus He began His ministry here,Preaching and healing and raising the dead,
Expressing His love for His children so dear,
He and the twelve who went where He led.
This is the One of whom prophets spake,
The promised Messiah, the King of Kings.
He is the One who the worlds did make,
The giver of life and all good things.
And yet, here He is in the form of a man,
Come down to earth from Heaven’s bright shore,
Come to fulfill salvation’s sweet plan
That He might His wondrous creation restore.
To a criminal’s cross the Almighty did go,
Such suffering and shame He had to endure.
Yet, the cross was a must for grace to bestow,
‘Twas the only way our redemption to secure.
O see Him there, hanging between heaven and earth
Dying for the souls of Adam’s sinful race,
Creatures of flesh with no heavenly worth,
Yet He gave Himself to impart amazing grace.
Rejected of men whom He came to restore,
Betrayed and denied by those He loved most,
Forsaken by God for the sin that He bore,
All alone on the cross as He gave up the ghost.
The Christ of glory was laid within a tomb.
In death’s dark dominion the Saviour did lie.
All seemed so hopeless amid gathering gloom.
All nature stood breathless awaiting Heaven’s reply.
Had the hope of salvation come to an end?
Would the devil be victor o’er the soul of man?
Could the father of lies God’s mercy suspend?
Had he broken the back of God’s gracious plan?
But no, this was not to be Lucifer’s hour.
He couldn’t hold Christ in death’s ugly throes.
None can compete with God’s mighty pow’r.
With a burst of Heaven’s glory the Saviour arose!
© 2006 Paul Stultz
