The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

O Jesus Christ, Thy manger is

There must be hundreds of good forgotten Christmas carols. Here's one I noticed this year by the Lutheran Paul Gerhardt.

O Jesus Christ,
Thy manger is
My paradise at which my soul reclineth.
For there, O Lord,
Doth lie the Word
Made flesh for us;
Here-in Thy grace forth shineth.

He whom the sea
And wind obey
Doth come to serve the sinner in great meekness.
Thou God’s own Son,
With us are one,
Dost join us
And our children in our weakness.

Thy light and grace
Our guilt efface,
Thy heavenly riches all our loss retrieving.
Immanuel, 
Thy birth doth quell
The power of hell
And Satan’s bold deceiving.

Thou Christian heart,
Who ever thou art,
Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee!
For God’s own Child,
In mercy mild,
Joins thee to Him;
How greatly God must love thee!

Remember thou
What glory now
The Lord prepared thee for all earthly sadness.
The angel host
Can never boast
Of greater glory,
Greater bliss or gladness.

The world may hold
Her wealth and gold;
But thou, my heart, Keep Christ as thy true treasure.
To Him hold fast
Unitl at last
A crown be thine
And honor in full measure.

No comments: