Today marks the 2nd Sunday of Advent. We light another candle today. The candles represent different things in the Advent season. Candle #2 may represent the Angels who brought the good news in the Christmas story, or the Joy of the the we know in that we have a rescuer or the announcement of Jesus impending birth. Which ever significance the candle takes for you, enjoy the following poem as you light it.
The Children
by John Piper
Do you hear the children crying?
I can hear them every day,
Crying, sighing, dying, flying
Somewhere safe where they can play.
Somewhere safe from all the dangers,
Somewhere safe from Crack and AIDS,
Safe from lust and lurking strangers,
Safe from war and bombing raids.
Somewhere safe from malnutrition,
Safe from daddy's damning voice,
Safe from mommy's cool ambition,
Safe from deadly goddess, Choice.
Do you hear the children crying?
I can hear them every day,
Crying, sighing, dying, flying
Somewhere safe where they can play.
* * * *
Do you see the children meeting?
I can see them in the sky,
Meeting, seating, eating, greeting
Jesus with the answer why.
Why the milk no longer nourished,
Why the water made them sick,
Why the crops no longer flourished,
Why the belly got so thick.
Why they never knew the reason
Friends had vanished out of sight,
Why some suffered for a season,
Others never saw the light.
Do you see the children meeting?
I can see them in the sky,
Meeting, seating, eating, greeting
Jesus with the answer why.
* * * *
Do you hear the children singing?
I can hear them high above,
Singing, springing, ringing, bringing
Glory to the God of love.
Glory for the gift of living,
Glory for the end of pain,
Glory for the gift of giving,
Glory for eternal gain.
Glory from the ones forsaken,
Glory from the lost and lone,
Glory when the infants waken,
Orphans on the Father's throne
Do you hear the children singing?
I can hear them high above,
Singing, springing, ringing, bringing
Glory to the God of love.
* * * *
Do you see the children coming?
I can see them on the clouds,
Coming, strumming, drumming, humming
Songs with heaven's happy crowds.
Songs with lots of happy clapping,
Songs that set the heart on fire,
Songs that make your foot start tapping,
Songs that make a merry choir.
Songs so loud the mountains tremble,
Songs so pure the canyons ring,
When the children all assemble
Millions, millions, round the King.
Do you see the children coming?
I can see them on the clouds,
Coming, strumming, drumming, humming
Songs with heaven's happy crowds.
* * * *
Do you see the children waiting?
I can see them all aglow
Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting,
Who of us will rise and go?
Will we turn and fly to meet them
In the light of candle two?
I intend to rise and greet them.
Come and go with me, would you?
© Desiring God
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About us
- Brad and Abi Byrd
- Brad, Abi, Quin 9, Ezzie 7, Tate 5 and Jems 2 currently live in Mahomet, Illinois. Brad is the US Director for Radstock Ministries and is also helping to start up The Good Book company in the US. (Up to now Good Book has only been in the UK.)We have been with Radstock for 9 years now. Before we lived in Mahomet we were on the Mission field in Kosovo for 3 years and before that in the UK for 4 years. Abi is a stay at home Mum who typically runs a 3 ringed circus out of the house. She has been doing some speaking at local churches and groups about their life and faith. We are involved in our church in different aspects - Missions, Praise Team, Adult Sunday school teaching and Children's ministry.
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