Away in a Manger
“When this great army of angels had returned again to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come-on! Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
“They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.” Luke 2: 15 and 16
The shepherds ran to find baby Jesus. Did you catch that? They didn’t just saunter over or even just hurry; they ran. This Christmas season we too can run with the shepherds in making time, worshipping Jesus in a deeper sense than ever before. We need to see Him- to really connect. That takes time.
It takes time to immerse ourselves in God’s Word and really think about it instead of reading it while we’re actually thinking mostly about what to buy that special person on our shopping list. But there is a payoff for us too as we run to Jesus. Just as the shepherds got to see Him personally as they rushed to his manger side, Jesus manifests Himself to us as we draw near to Him.
We can help our children and grandchildren see beyond the glitter of the Christmas season and teach them the true meaning of Christmas- Christ’s birth. We can sing “Away in a Manger” with them. This carol is all about our love for the Lord Jesus and our trust in His faithful care.
PS: Another way you can make Jesus more real to your children this Christmas season is to read my new book “A Christmas Present for Goliath” with them. This book gives them a brand new perspective on the wise men’s visit to see the Messiah. Visit my web page http://www.ruthwillms.com/goliath.html to learn all about it.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my bedside till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me for ever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
Although some claim that Martin Luther composed this childlike carol it is actually anonymous. It was first printed in the US in 1885 as part of the collection “Dainty Songs for Little Lads and Lasses”. The song touched James R. Murray’s heart causing him to print it here with the title “Luther’s Cradle Song”. This could be why the carol is mistakenly attributed to Luther.
Others want to credit Murray with the composition while still, others think the lyrics come from Robert Burns’ “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton”. Some say it may have been written by a member of a German Lutheran colony from Pennsylvania. The tune, “Cradle Song” was composed by William James Kirkpatrick.
In the early 1900’s a Methodist minister, John T. McFarland added the third verse because it was desired for a church children’s day program.
Many hymn books exclude this carol because of its unscriptural words regarding the cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but no crying he makes. I think that this imagery makes the Bible story clear to children.
In the same way dramas performed through out our churches make Jesus’ birth more real to us each Christmas. This all began in 1224 thanks to an innovative spiritual leader. That’s the Christmas that St. Francis of Assisi faced a dilemma. He believed that the message of Christ’s birth had become so intellectual that it was aloof and dogmatic. He wanted to simplify the message so it would touch the common people’s hearts. It was then that he decided to dramatize the Christmas story.
He set up a nativity scene with the stable scene right in his church. When his congregation arrived on Christmas Eve they were so excited. Finally they could understand. The scene of Jesus’ birth was real to them. And yes, for the first time there was even a manger introduced in the Christmas service. This goes hand in hand with “Away in a Manger”, the carol children sing on Christmas Eve in their church programs, while dressed in the characters of that first Christmas. And always there is that manger, right in the center of the scene.
