It Was The Night Of Christmas


It was the night of Christmas, and all through the land,
No one was moving about, not child nor man;
The family had been praying feverently, with reverent fear,
Hoping a Messiah would soon appear.

All the children were sleeping in their beds,
While dreams of the Messiah floated through their heads.
"Mama" had disrobed and I had too.
And we had only been in bed for a moment or two,
When, from somewhere outside, I heard a sound.
I jumped from my bed in a single bound.
I ran to the window, I literally sped.
I opened it quickly and stuck out my head.

The moon was full and bright as could be.
Its brilliant glow allowed me to see
A sight so beautiful; how could it be?
A sky full of angels singing joyfully,
"Peace on earth, good will to all,
The God of heaven has been born in a stall!"

Gracefully they flew back and forth,
Singing, "The virgin has given birth!
And He is the Messiah! Jesus!
Savior! Immanuel! For God is now with us!

To the top of the mountains! To the valley below!
The angels flew through the snow.
Down to the valley, they once again flew,
With the birth announcement to a shepherd or two.
And then in a twinkling, I saw them take flight,
As they flew around the shepherds that clear night.
I leaned forward for a better view
I heard one of them say, "I was looking for you!"

He was dressed in a robe of white, from his head to his feet,
He opened his mouth and began to speak,
"God the Father has answered your prayer,
The Messiah you prayed for is now here!
He was just born in Bethlehem; not so far,
You can find him by following that star.

He pointed up into the twinkling sky
And I followed his finger with my eye
Into millions of stars blinking so bright,
I knew in a moment that it was "The Light"
That came from God to dispel the night!

I followed that star to an animal's cave,
And I looked into the face of the present God gave,
Lying in a trough of fresh gathered hay
Was the baby that was born the Messiah that day!

He was sleeping, as babies do,
But I knew that He knew too;
For there was a glow about His face,
And one could tell it was the look of Grace.

Just as I was about to leave,
A voice in my head I perceived
Said, "This is My Beloved Son I have sent to you,
Now you know what you must do."
I bowed and worshipped the King,
God who became man and gave up everything
So He could save a sinner like me,
By dying one day on a tree.

But from death, I knew He would arise
And return to His Father above the skies,
Before He would leave He would say,
"I AM COMING AGAIN; BE READY FOR THAT DAY!"


Ceil Kilgore