1) The poem describes the night of Jesus's birth, with the inns full and streets empty as Mary gives birth in a stable while Joseph paces outside. 2) Shepherds in the fields are visited by angels announcing Jesus's birth, and they and wise men come to see the newborn king laying in the manger. 3) The poem asks the reader to look upon the baby Jesus in the manger and see not just a child, but the price God paid by sending his son to live and die for humanity, taking our sins upon himself.

1. When You Look Into The Manger
By
Rose Betcher

2. The inns were full, the streets were bare
The night was dark, no one aware
That soon the world, would see His Son
The One on whom all hopes were hung

3. A tiny light begins to shine
From out the east, there is a line
Of royal men, from far away
They’ll bring their homage here today

4. A sound is heard, so
faint but clear
The shepherds turn
as it draws near
Their fears
aroused, they
shrink in fright
But still they watch
the gleaming sight

5. While in a stable, unaware
there waits a humble, quiet pair
The time is coming, oh so near
For soon their baby will appear

6. The star has found its’ place of rest
The wise men hurry to the west

7. The shepherds lift their faces high
As angels’ voices fill the sky
Then all with one accord they turn
And rush to tell of what they’ve learned

8. The mother groans
in great travail
She holds fast to
the angel’s tale
A promise that this
lowly birth
Will bring
redemption to the
earth

9. As Joseph paced outside the door
Not quite knowing what’s in store

10. The camel bells draw closer still
The shepherds hasten from the hill

11. A silence, then a baby’s cry
The star glows brighter in the sky

12. The father greets his brand new son,
The mother knows that He’s the One
But how can one so soft and small
Repay the debt of Adam’s fall?

13. Upon a bed of hay He lays
The sky is brightening towards the day
The courtyard fills with sudden guests
A sense of peace upon them rests

14. With gifts in
hand, they
gather round
And for a time,
there’s not a
sound
The shepherds
meekly come
and kneel
As awe and joy
are all they feel

15. “Christ is born”, the angels sing
The blessed good tidings do they bring
The world still slumbers, unaware
That He is here, our sins to bear.

16. Can you see Him, sleeping now
As the wise men humbly bow?
Does the scene seem oh so sweet,
As the shepherds come to greet
The Babe they heard proclaimed that night
In song and with a glorious light?

17. Would you like to have been there?
Would you kneel and gently stare
As our Lord lay sound asleep
Surrounded by those little sheep?

18. What would you see on that cold night?
Just a child in sweet respite?
Or would you see a newborn king
With God’s great gift of love to bring?

19. Would you see the
price God paid
To let His Son go,
unafraid
Into a world of hate
and greed
To live a life of hard
pressed need
No home to rest, no
easy way
With not a place, His
head to lay?

20. Would you see the scorn received
As Satan strives, and man’s deceived?
Would you see the role He’d play
To take us all back home one day?

21. And would you
look into your
soul
And see your
need to be
made whole?
Would you
shed the sin
and dross?

22. When you look in the manger,
Would you see the cross?