GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT

The festive spirit fills the air,
And people's hearts are gay,
There's trees and lights and lots of toys
'Twill soon be Christmas Day;
So much is said of Santa Claus
And of the gifts he gives,
So little is said of God's dear Son
Whose own birthday it is.

Wild merriment is on every hand,
They drink and dance and curse,
They must forget what Christmas is,
Why Jesus came to earth;
If He should speak at Christmastime,
I'm sure that He would say,
"I'd rather you My birth not keep
Than do it in this way."

E'en as it was one bygone night
In far off Bethlehem,
When Jesus in a manger lay,
No room within the inn;
Today He's shut outside men's hearts,
Hearts filled with sin and wrong,
They care not that with nail pierced hand
He's knocked there oh so long.

They give their presents to their friends,
Receive gifts from each one,
Neglecting God's great Christmas gift--
He gave His only Son
To die upon the awful cross
And pay our debt of sin,
To open wide the gates of Heaven
And let us enter in.

The gift's still waiting at the tree,
So few His Word believe,
Though offered freely to all men,
They will not Christ receive;
The tree is just a cross of wood,
Unsightly to behold,
Bo oh, the gift the dear Lord gives
Is better far than gold.

There are no lights to light His tree,
No decorations fine,
No pretty tinsel, balls, and bells
That glitter, gleam, and shine;
Yet there are stains of His own blood
To ransom our whole race,
There's light to guide the wanderer home
That shines from His dear face.

Why should His gift rejected be?
How God must grieve today!
When He has paid so great a price,
Should Christ be turned away?
Oh! Open now your heart's door wide,
Receive God's gift of love,
His joy and peace and grace He'll give,
Eternal life above.
---anonymous