Memories of redemption

David Wheeler posted the following Random Acts of Poetry challenge:

This week, I dare you to write a poem about Noel Ghosts. There's an old tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve. Charles Dickens is perhaps most famous for his: A Christmas Carol. Be they spirits of Christmases past, present, yet to come, or altogether fantasy, I love a good ghost story.

My thoughts wandered back a short eleven years ago to my first Christmas with Christ in my life. As I stood in a church or Christmas Eve singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing (peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled) I knew that I had been both redeemed and forever changed.

Who was and Is and Is to come
Who waited patiently
through tinsel, glitter
and lights
escalators jammed
with those sweating warm
in winter wools
ascending to
the higher floors
to secure the choicest gifts
and finding more
of nothing.

Who Was and Is and Is to come
Who wrapped a gift
for me, not hidden
yet left unseen
year after year after
meaningless year.

Who Was and Is and Is to come
Who never stopped
knocking
until I was seeking
and finally asking
to find my centre
not in the tinsel, glitter
and lights
but in His love
unwrapped
revealed and received.

Another time, another tree
where sweetly drops
the blood
of reconciliation.
Who Was and Is and Is to come
born to live
and die
for me.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord God, He Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty (the Ruler of all) Revelation 1:8 Amplified

I am also submitting this as my Wednesday One Shot at One Stop Poetry