, a Christmas Hymn for 10 December 2024 Anno Domini,
the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
This lovely hymn of Advent/Christmas was first published in the Korean Hymnal of 1931 and was translated from the Korean in 1968 by John T. Underwood. The author is unknown, however, the arrangement is by U. Y. La. Giving our all to Christ is not tantamount to bringing material offerings, but the whole heart of one’s being to Christ. The gifts of the Magi were not merely devices of great wealth but of a deeper spiritual meaning. It represented the coming of the gentile peoples to Christ and their recognition of Him as King (gold), as Divine (frankincense), and myrrh (His coming sacrifice). The poor Jewish shepherds on the hills over Bethlehem were the first to hear the Good Tidings of Great Joy from the mouth of angels. Then, came the gentile Magi from the East country. If our hearts are owned by Christ, all else of our being follows.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS LOVELY HYMN INSTRUMENTAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdztInel7BI
BRINGING OUR ALL TO OFFER
1. Bringing our all, to offer
- Gems of our treasure store,
Self and heart let us proffer,
Here at the stable door.
Truth is its best adorning,
Love is its purest worth
This is the holy morning,
Day of our Saviour’s birth! - 2. Blest with all heavenly treasure
Since when we first believed,
Let us, in grateful measure,
Give as we have received.
Joy filled beyond all fullness,
Hope filled beyond all days,
Let us with heart and wholeness
Render our Saviour praise. - 3. Shepherds in awe and wonder,
Keeping their flock by night,
Saw the sky rent asunder
By a celestial light
Then, the glad tidings, given,
Hastened the manger nigh,
And, like the host of heaven,
Glorified God Most High.
1 Bringing our all, to offer Gems of our treasure store, Self and heart let us proffer, Here at the stable door. Truth is its best adorning, Love is its purest worth This is the holy morning, Day of our Saviour’s birth! The only gift we can give Christ is that which remains after our death – our Love and our hearts for “They shall praise the Lord that seek him: Your heart shall live for ever. (Psalms 22:26b) – a Messianic Psalm. It is not in man-made palaces and temple doors that we bring our all to the Savior, but in humble contrition to the stable door. Our gems of heart are love, obedience, piety, and worship.
- Blest with all heavenly treasure Since when we first believed, Let us, in grateful measure, Give as we have received. Joy filled beyond all fullness, Hope filled beyond all days, Let us with heart and wholeness Render our Saviour praise. Christ cannot accept an old, dog-haired heart burdened with hate and malice. Those cannot be accepted beyond the Gates of Splendor. He needs a heart wholly given over to Him in Love and humility. This may be a bridge too far for the modern professors, but true it is.
3. Shepherds in awe and wonder, Keeping their flock by night, Saw the sky rent asunder By a celestial light Then, the glad tidings, given, Hastened the manger nigh, And, like the host of heaven, Glorified God Most High. Please imagine the awe of those humble and illiterate shepherds as the had the privilege to receive the glorious news of our Lord’s birth as they kept watch over their flocks. The scholars and priests of Jerusalem were not privileged as were these shepherds. It is the simple hearts that are privileged to know Christ. That does not mean lacking in intelligence, but rather hearts that can still believe in the miraculous birth, life, sacrifice and resurrection of our Savior. Once the glorious news was received by the shepherds, they wasted no time in going to Bethlehem to see this gift of God’s only Begotten Son. Once they had found Him, their voices echoed the same wonderful news as that proclaimed by the Holy Angels.
Once we have known the glorious Gospel, our hearts should be aflame with such love and wonder as to join our voices to those of Angels in proclaiming His Gospel.
