The Christmas Guest

D  D  D  D


[Verse 1]
D
 It happened one day near December's
 end
Two neighbors called on an old 
C
friend

And they found his shop so meager 
and lean
                       A
Made gay with thousand bows of green

And Conrad was sitting with face 
a-shine
                 D
When he suddenly stopped as he 
stitched a twine
And he said "Old friends, at dawn 
  D
today
D
 When the cock was crowing the night
 away

The Lord appeared in a dream to me
C
 And said "I'm coming your guest to 
be."


[Verse 2]
C
 So I've been busy with feet astir
A
Strewing my shop with branches of 
fern
    A
The table is spread and the kettle 
is shined
D
 And over the rafters the holly is 
twined
D                               G
 Now I'll wait for my Lord to appear

And listen closely so I will hear
                               Em
His step as He nears my humble place
                           G
And I'll open the door and look on 
His face


[Verse 3]
A
 So his friends went home and left 
Conrad alone
                          D
For this was the happiest day he had
 known

For long since, his family had 
passed away
G
 And Conrad had spent many a sad 
Christmas Day
                     Em
But he knew with the Lord as his 
Christmas Guest

This Christmas would be the dearest 
and best
      A
So he listened with only joy in his 
heart

And with every sound he would rise 
with a start
D
 And look for the Lord to be at his 
door

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Like the vision he had had a few 
hours before
D
 So he ran to the window after 
hearing a sound
But all he could see on the snow 
        C
covered ground

Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were
 torn
                            A
And all of his clothes were ragged 
and worn


[Verse 4]
A
 But Conrad was touched and he went 
to the door
D
 And he said, "You know, your feet 
must be frozen and sore
            D
I have some shoes in my shop for you

And a coat that will keep you warmer
 too."
                 C
So with grateful heart the man went 
away

But Conrad noticed the time of day
    A
And wondered what made the Lord so 
late

And how much longer he'd have to 
wait
D
 When he heard a knock, he ran to 
the door
                  G
But it was only a stranger once more

A bent old lady with a shawl of 
black
      D
With a bundle of kindling piled on 
her back

She asked for only a place to rest
   A
But that was reserved for Conrad's 
Great Guest


[Verse 5]
                             D
But her voice seemed to plead "Don't
 send me away
Let me rest for awhile on Christmas 
G
Day"

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup
And told her to sit at the table and
 Em
 sup

But after she left he was filled 
with dismay
A
 For he saw that the hours were 
slipping away
And the Lord hadn't come as he said 
   D
he would

Then Conrad felt sure he had 
misunderstood
D
 When out of the stillness he heard 
a cry

'Please help me and tell me where am
 I?"
C
 So again he opened his friendly 
door

And stood disappointed as twice 
before
A
 It was only a child who'd wandered 
away
And was lost from her family on 
          D
Christmas Day


[Verse 6]

Again Conrad's heart was heavy and 
sad
       D
But he knew he should make the 
little girl glad

So he called her in and he wiped her
 tears
   C
And quieted all her childish fears

Then he led her back to her home 
once more
A
 But as he entered his own darkened 
door
D
 He knew the Lord was not coming 
today
For the hours of Christmas had 
G
passed away


[Verse 7]
      G
So he went to his room and knelt 
down to pray
       Em
And he said "Dear Lord, why did you 
delay?
A
 What kept you from coming to call 
on me?
                     D
For I wanted so much your face to 
see.'
                         G
When soft in the silence a voice he 
heard

"Lift up your head for I kept my 
word
Em
  Three times my shadow crossed your
 floor
                       A
And three times I came to your 
lonely door

I was the beggar with bruised, cold 
feet
D
 And I was the woman you gave 
something to eat
I was the child on the homeless 
D
street

Three times I knocked, and three 
times I came in
C
 And each time I found the warmth of
 a friend
A
 Of all the gifts, love is the best
          D
And I was honored to be your 
Christmas Guest