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Thy Manger is My Paradise

O Jesus Christ,Thy manger isMy paradise at which my soul reclineth.For there, O Lord,Doth lie the WordMade flesh for us; herein Thy grace forth shineth.He whom the seaAnd wind obeyDoth come to serve the sinner in great meekness.Thou, God’s own Son,With us art one,Dost join us and our children . . . . Continue Reading »

O Holy Night (12) - Christ Is the Lord!

This is the final post in a twelve part devotional commentary on “O Holy Night.” See the introduction here.Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,His power and glory Evermore proclaim.His power and glory Evermore proclaim.The carol ends on a note of proclamation, its fourth . . . . Continue Reading »

All My Heart, This Night Rejoices!

This is Pastor Paul Gerhardt’s great Christmas hymn. It first appeared in a collection of hymns published in Leipzig by Johann Crüciger in 1653, with the tune that Crüciger specifically prepared for it. The hymn is a sermon on the meaning of Christmas, and a deeply devotional . . . . Continue Reading »

Men Are from Mary, Women Are from Martha

A fun and interesting blogger named Ellen Painter Dollar takes up the seasonal reminiscence we reposted here on the First Things website, ” Dakota Christmas .” She likes my writing—”so gorgeously, lucidly written that I wanted to lay my hands on my laptop screen, hoping I . . . . Continue Reading »

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