Christmas Devotion 2023

-

 

Jesus Has Come

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

6           For to us a child is born,

to us, a son is given;

                        and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

                        Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

Devotion:

            Today is the day. All the Christmas shopping, wrapping, and hiding presents is over. Our world likes to pretend this is all there is to the Christmas season. Soon, however, the kids will get tired of their new presents. They may even begin to play with the boxes that high-end toys come in! Soon, it will be time to eat and stuff ourselves full of food, then sit around the TV watching football.

            Our culture has anesthetized itself to the real meaning of Christmas. We pretend that gifts given will assuage the empty feeling inside our souls. Soon, however, life goes back to normal. The scriptures, however, testify to a greater truth. The day that started all this 2,000 years ago was anything but ordinary. We had angels, shepherds, wise men. These all observed that day with awe and wonder. Some child had been born albeit to a simple couple who lacked royal standing or wealth or any other human measure of success. Yet this child was foretold in the passage from Isaiah above would somehow change the world.

            Our culture tries to ignore and cover up the true meaning of this unique child. Attributing all the extraordinary predictions about this child to myths and fairy tales is more convenient. Because if this child is who the scriptures and the angels tell us he is, nothing can be the same. We must worship and obey this simple baby lying in a feeding trough. All of the time will be split into two parts: one for the time before he comes and one for after he comes. Life can never be the same again.

            You see, God has come in the flesh to claim the world as his own. To put down the ancient rebellion of humankind and establish a new world order. One that will be permanent, ruling over every attempt by mere human beings. This baby, Jesus, is his name and would be worshiped by billions of people. All of whom believe that Jesus came to rule over all people's pretensions. Jesus has come, and all who have turned to him believed and received eternal life with God. Reject Jesus as savior, and you will have a terrible ending to your eternal existence apart from God. Let us pray that we may be found to be followers of this Jesus who has come for his people.

Prayer:

            God Almighty in heaven, you came into our midst on a night like this. Help us to receive you as our Lord and Savior so that we may love and obey him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Let all who dwell on this earth discover the truth about that child who came so long ago. May they let him change their hearts and minds so that they may believe and worship heaven's true king. Amen

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapt...
Read more

The Hatred of the World

-
Scripture: John 15:18-20 (ESV) 18  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Devotion:             This scripture is compelling. It explains what happened to Jesus and His disciples some 2,000 years ago. The message of God is rarely welcome news for the world. It calls out many of the culture's favorite practices for what they are: sin. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, humankind has been adamant about trying to hide or excuse their sin. Sin causes a barrier between humans and God that humanity cannot overcom...
Read more

Reflecting on Reformation Day

-
  On October 31st, millions of Christians around the world celebrate Reformation Day, a commemoration of a pivotal moment in church history. It marks the day in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German monk and scholar, nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This act, challenging the practices and doctrines of the Catholic Church, ignited what we now know as the Protestant Reformation. The Courage to Stand for Truth Reformation Day calls us to reflect on the courage it takes to stand for truth. Martin Luther faced immense opposition and risked his life to speak against the corruption and abuses he saw within the church. His conviction was rooted in a deep understanding of scripture and a sincere desire to return to the teachings of Christ. As we remember Luther's bravery, let us examine our own lives. Are we willing to stand firm in our beliefs, even when it is difficult? Do we seek truth in God's word and let it guide our actions? Script...
Read more