The dawn of creation, described in Job, portrays God the creator laying the Earth’s foundation and marking out its dimensions, ‘while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy’ (Job 38:4–7).
John Gowans’ ‘In the face of a child’ opens with a similar cosmic setting, ‘All the stars sang together on that first Christmas day’. The defining moment in human history, the birth of God’s Son, is celebrated in the heavenly singing of stars. As the angels join in, we can only imagine the beauty and power of that sound.
The music written by John Larsson to this song begins in the minor key, the piano softly evoking mystery and wonder. Then, as questions are asked – What are the stars saying? What does the heavenly chorus say? – the tune moves into the major key and we reach the heart of the message;
‘God is hidden no more, he has spoken his mind;
Wrapped the gift of his love in the stuff of mankind.’
What a beautiful and yet down to earth expression of God’s gift beyond words! In Genesis 1 God spoke and creation sprang from his voice. Yet he remained a mysterious God, hidden from his people. John’s gospel identified the Word of God, the logos, as Jesus who became the incarnate word, full of grace and truth. ‘In the face of a child’ God, who is beyond our knowing and understanding, has sent us a gift ‘wrapped in the stuff of mankind’.
The phrase, ‘stuff of mankind’ is not poetic but it so perfectly captures the essence of life with a young baby. Here is the world of relentless giving, messiness and exhaustion many parents experience, along with overwhelming love, awe and wonder as they look at the face of their precious child. Life itself can be a messy and relentless struggle but this song reminds us that God is truly Emmanuel, God with us.
As Gowans continues to tell the story, perhaps an image of the nativity story comes to your mind? Here are hardworking shepherds who left their valuable flocks, at the word of an angel, to visit an unknown couple and their newborn baby. They are followed by the wise ones who came to worship and went away with great joy. I wonder what difference this event made in their lives?
John Gowans is surely right to ask, ‘What on earth can it mean?’ May we too approach the manger with love and worship and discover that the joy and wonder of that first Christmas day is a gift to be shared.
