Rich Beyond All Splendor, But All For Love’s Sake You Assumed Poverty: When Beauty Became Plain . . .

This is the absolutely beautiful poem
That our beautiful Kristyn recites
As a prelude to the beautiful song,
Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendour
you’ll find below:

Into the Darkest Hour
By the amazing Madeleine L’Engle

“It was a time like this,
war & tumult of war,
a horror in the air.
Hungry yawned the abyss –
and yet there came the star,
and the child most wonderfully there.

It was a time like this
of fear & lust for power,
license & greed and blight –
and yet the Prince of bliss
came into the darkest hour
in quiet & silent light.

And in a time like this
how celebrate his birth
when all things fall apart?
Ah! Wonderful it is:
with no room on the earth,
the stable is our heart.”

~ ~ ~

“Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love’s sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love’s sake becamest poor.

Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love’s sake becamest man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising
Heavenwards by thine eternal plan.
Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love’s sake becamest man.

Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.”

— FRANK HOUGHTON (1894-1972) © 1934 OMF INTERNATIONAL.

{Now, Frank Houghton was a “chief” Anglican missionary
in China when, in December 86 years ago, dark tragedy occurred.
As another missionary couple in China, John and Betty Stam,
were probably in the middle of celebrating Advent
and the upcoming Christmas, they were brutally murdered
by the communist Red Army. In reaction, Frank did not hide
or leave the country. Instead, he bravely made his way
into the mountains to strengthen and encourage
the missionary churches there. While traveling, the words
of 2 Corinthians 8:9 comforted and inspired him,
and thus he penned this wonderful Christmas hymn.}

~ ~ ~

Thanks again, to Keith and Kristyn Getty
for a brilliant rendering of this song
which is highly appropriate to the Advent season,
or any season of a Christian’s life.