Come to the Stable

Come to the stable you pilgrims
you believers, needing to be reborn
needing to be affirmed in your faith
needing this advent season, needing
desperately, to be in the spirit
within the stable, standing, kneeling by
the baby’s bed, the baby’s manger bed
look into his face, the face of his parents
see the truth of his life, his call, his fulfillment
He is the one they had hoped for, for centuries
waiting for the stump, the stump of Jesse
to bear a son, a shoot, a new branch
ready to take the mantle of David
to rise to lead his people, to set his people free
to seal the breach so long ago, mend the bond
provide a path, a way, to reconciliation
with the father, to be the one
who would create heaven on earth
We wait too, again, for the child in the manger
and the king to descend from heaven
and bring us home

December 9, 2007