What Child is This?

What are we really celebrating this week? Why do we stop everything and celebrate the birth of a baby 2000 years ago. What baby is this? This classic Christmas carol from 1865 written by William Chattertan Dix tells the story so well.

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

He is the glorious living God. He came - born as a baby - in order to die. He died for us; for our sin. We have inheritance into the kingdom of God through Him, which brings us great everlasting joy and hope.

What child is this? This child is our hope, our Lord, our joy, our peace, and our salvation. Are we remembering what child this is this Christmas?

Keller Hackbusch