"What Child Is This?"

What Child is This??  Even the title of this lovely Christmas carol speaks of awe and mystery!
To me, there is something uniquely different and special about the lovely Christmas carols!  They seem set apart -- as if God moved upon the writers of both verse and melody to try and help us grasp a little of the awe -- the wonder -- the miracle of that first Christmas in the manger! 

Perhaps we should begin with that "hauntingly" beautiful carol, written in a minor key, and challenging our thinking and contemplation by asking the question -- "What Child Is This?"

Kenneth Osbeck says:  "The question asked in this well-loved carol must have been uppermost in the minds of those present at Jesus' birth.  This thoughtful text was written by William Dix, one of our finest lay hymn writers.  While a successful insurance salesman in Glasgow, Scotland, he was stricken with a sudden serious illness at the age of 29.  Dix was confined to bed for an extended period, and suffered deep  depression until He called out to God and 'met Him in a new and real way.'  Out of this spiritual experience came this beautiful carol.  It was taken from a longer Christmas poem, 'The Manger Throne', written by Dix about 1865.  The melody, 'Green Sleeves' is a traditional English melody written before 1642."

     "What Child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
      Why lies He in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear -- for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.

      So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh -- come, rich and poor, to own Him;
The King of kings Salvation brings -- let loving hearts enthrone Him.
      This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud -- the Babe, the Son of Mary."

Yes, this Child -- this Babe in the manger is Christ the King!!  Let us adore Him and give Him everything !!