Joiner’s workshop
Leigh Newton © 1980
1. The shop was dark and time to close, the sun was going down,
The shavings and the saw-dust still scattered on the ground,
One more customer to serve, thank God this day is through;
With Mary’s baby coming soon, I don’t know what to do.
2. The message came from far away for all to be enrolled,
They had to go to Joseph’s town, to Bethlehem we’re told;
They sold some wood for a donkey’s back to travel eighty miles,
Poor Mary and the babe were bumped and jolted all the while.
3. The inn was full with many folk there was no room to spare,
The keeper said “But if you like, the stable’s just out there.”
So they spread some straw on the dusty floor, their strength was wearing thin;
It wasn’t long ’til Mary started pushing from within.
4. The babe was born but the world moved on and no-one seemed to care,
But the moon and stars and all the heavens were praising God out there.
Then three travellers from the east were knocking at the door,
And then some peasants from the fields were on their knees in awe.
5. They seemed to know this tiny babe would shatter all the earth,
They seemed to know that he’d be king, right here at his birth.
But did they know he’d give his life to us and die in cruel pain?
Did they know that thousands more would love and die for him the same?
6. This tiny babe, he changed the world when he became a man,
This tiny babe soon died for us, it’s hard to understand.
We know he then came back to life, he’ll always with us be;
But I thank you Lord for that fine day, when you were born to me.