Advent Day Nine: wonder

I Wonder As I Wander

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die

For poor ordin'ry people like you and like I;

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus, 'twas in a cow's stall

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all;

But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall

And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing --

A star in the sky or a bird on the wing

Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing --

He surely could have had it, 'cause he was the King.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die

For poor ordin'ry people like you and like I;

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

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"I Wonder As I Wander" was written in 1933 by singer and folklorist John Jacob Niles, who composed it after hearing a ragged-looking preacher's daughter sing a short piece of a song at a revival meeting in North Carolina.   

I find this song beautiful because it has such a haunting melody and because the words are so humble and simple.  Sometimes in spite of all the festivity and enjoyment of Christmas, the nativity story itself can seem predictable and "been there, done that" -- but this song forces us to stop and ponder how truly amazing it is that Jesus came to be our Saviour.  It draws a simple but stark contrast between Jesus being birthed in a stall with "farmers and shepherds" and the fact that He could have anything He asked for, at any time, because He is God.  Yet all Jesus asked for was strength to do the will of His Father.  He "made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant" (Phil. 2:7).  

No wonder we wonder.