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I Wonder As I Wander


I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on'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 for to sing,
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King.
I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on'ry people like you and like I...
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.
                My choir sang this last Sunday. I’ve sung it before. I love the minor key, but this was the first time I’d ever seen the word “on’ry” in the lyric. I think I’ve always sung “humble.” I like “on’ry” better. It’s truer. We are bad-tempered and combative. I’m not only talking about people who love to debate/argue like me. Hillary Clinton announced recently that until or unless the Democrats were put back in charge of the country, civility was at an end. Nancy Pelosi said that if the Democrats were put back in charge, they were going to put their policies through, and if there is collateral damage, so be it. I’ve debated with at least one gun-mad Republican who hoped that President Obama’s administration would come after his guns so he could bathe in their blood. There are an average of a million abortions per year, most of which are performed as matters of convenience to the mother, and celebrities are being called on to “shout their abortions.” Consider murder, rape, war, anger, rage, malice,  slander, filthy language, and even people who say, “my god would never….” We are an on’ry people. 
          But that’s what this song calls us to wonder about. Why would Jesus leave Heaven? Why would the one who could have any wee thing he wanted ‘cause He was the King come to die for poor on’ry people? Good people. People who deserve it – maybe Mother Theresa – but Adolph Hitler? Ted Bundy? Richard Dawkins? Me? You? Why?

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