STEPHEN PHINNEY: Twas the Night Before Christ-as-Life

On behalf of our family, we bless you with a Christ-as-Life Christmas. We use this celebration to remind family & friends of the powerful, indwelling Life of the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.

Several years back, I was contracted to do a “life-size” pastel of Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. The above image does not do justice to the beauty of the original master. However, it does capture the essence of the Master’s piece.

The pastel was intended to communicate the importance of Jesus’s first coming, with a special reminder that humanity should not worship a baby in the manger but rather a risen resurrected Savior FOR humanity. During the completion of this Master’s piece, the Lord gave me this rendition poem.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRIST-AS-LIFE

By Stephen Phinney

Twas the night before Christ-as-Life, when all through the world,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the furled.
The masses were ignorant of their need for a Savior,
In hopes that the Messiah would soon come later.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of deliverance danced in their heads;
And mamma in her Tichel, and I in my Yarmulkah,
Had just settled down next to my little Menorah.

When out in the stable, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the stable’s roof glows,
Gave the luster of mid-day to a baby below.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a baby was born amid my papa’s sheep sheers.

With a little old cradle made so soft amid the herd,
I knew in a moment it must be the good Shepherd.
More rapid than eagles, His angels came,
And they sprouted, and shouted, and called Him by name.

"Come forth, our Savior, Christ, and King!
We announce our Lord, Deliverer, our Supreme.
From eternity past, our future King,
Now rescue us all as we burst forth and sing!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
All will confess before He mounts in the sky.
So up to the house top His angels they flew,
Opening their arms to welcome Him too.

And then, in the twinkling of an eye, I saw others gathering,
The shepherds by night, with all their sheep, blathering.
As I drew in my breath and was turning around,
Down from the heavens, music bounded.

He was dressed in swaddling clothing, from his head to his feet,
And his clothes were radiant without an ounce of conceit.
A bundle of joy as He laid on His back,
And He looked like a Prince ready to clack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the Spirit from within as white as snow.

The finger of His mother He held tight as a sheath,
And His little face adorned like a glorified wreath.
He had broad hands and a little round belly,
That was tenderly content as a Holy Angeli.

He was peaceful and slump, a righteous joy Himself,
And I marveled when I saw Him, disregarding myself.
A Redeemer is born, a crown needed for His head,
Soon gave me know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word but cooed like a baby,
And awe filled the air like a Heavenly Slaby.
And tapping His fingers aside of His mother’s nose,
And giving hope for many to claim, He arose.

The angels returned to Heaven, the shepherds back to their land,
The little baby Jesus will soon grow into a man.
But before I left my window, I could not deny my sight,
I shouted, Merry Christ-as-Life to all, and to all Holy Night!”

©2022 | Dr. Stephen R. Phinney | Permission to Print

Dedicated to my beloved wife – Janie Marie Phinney

On behalf of our family, we bless you with a Christ-as-Life Christmas. We use this celebration to remind family & friends of the powerful, indwelling Life of the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.

Do not accept the suggestion of the enemy that you are powerless to break away from the pagan gods of traditional Christmas & its symbols. Remember, it is not a question of your own power but His power from within you. When you honestly decide to enjoy the true message of Christ’s birth, you can enjoy the celebration as ‘part one’ of His reason for the season - “I have come that you may have Life and Life abundantly.”

When we celebrate His birth, we are celebrating His Second Coming. The birth of Christ was given to us as a gift. A gift that introduces all of us to His death. Through His death, we died with Him. The door opened to everlasting Life. That led us to the power of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit was released to the indwelling Life of Jesus. After our indwelling experience, we are set up for the Rapture of Jesus’s Bride - us. Now the real celebration. All authentic, born-again Bridal members eagerly await the greatest “Christmas” gift of all - the New Heaven & Earth.

Every gift we give during this celebration is the symbol of the coming New Heaven and Earth. Every festive light and decor is the eternal symbol of the Light and Life of our Husband, Jesus. Every morsel of treats is to remind us of that Jesus as our Bread of Life. So… from our festive home to yours, have a blessed Christ-as-Life.

The Phinney Family