Last year I found a new Christmas song—really a (wild) variation on an older Christmas song.  It’s “Little Town” by a two-person band called Over The Rhine.  It’s a beautiful song (not at all the tune of “O Little Town of Bethlehem”) with a great message.  I encourage you to download it from iTunes or wherever.  Satisfaction is guaranteed in that I will pay you 100% cash back plus 1% interest if you don’t like it (refund must be in person and you must give me 24 hours’ notice so I can get a $1 bill).

Little Town – Over the Rhine

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy dark and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

The lamplit streets of Bethlehem
We walk now through the night
There is no peace in Bethlehem
There is no peace in sight

The wounds of generations
Almost too deep to heal
Scar the timeworn miracle
And make it seem surreal

The baby in the manger
Grew to a man one day
And still we try to listen now
To what he had to say

Put up your swords forever
Forgive your enemies
Love your neighbor as yourself
Let your little children come to me

Because He Came

Before He came He let us know his purpose.
Before He came the prophets knew His name.
Before He came the world, shut out of heaven,
Required a Savior to make it clean again.

But when He came his advent was unnoticed
But to a few who knew the prophets’ voice,
Or saw the singing Heavenly Hosts descending
Bringing to all glad tidings of great joy.

And when he came, wise men sought and found him.
But most looked for a king, and not a boy.
They waited for a mighty revolution,
Not a redeemer to restore their promised joy.

While he was here, his countrymen despised Him.
A few believed, but fewer still obeyed.
He healed their sick and made His gospel clearer.
He taught them peace; reviling He forbade.

When His time came, He took our sins upon Him
To put us once again at one with God.
He bled and died so we could be forgiven,
And would not have to bow beneath the rod.

Because He came our lives now have a reason,
Because He came and finished Father’s plan.
Because He came, with His stripes we are healed.
His mercy flows from nail-printed hands.

Oh yes, He came, and this gives us the reason
To celebrate his birth at Christmastime.
Because He came we can return to Father,
Because He came, dear Brother, Child sublime.

by David L. Wilson
© 2007