Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please take the time to take in the lyrics of Carrie Underwood, singing the classic Wesley Christmas Carol, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, … reminding us of the humble birth of our King of righteousness who would be humiliated on a cross to save mankind and to glorify His Heavenly Father. He was, as Underwood sings, "... born to give us second birth!"
Highlight Passage #1 Luke 2: 14 [NKJV] … The Lord’s life began humbly but was destined for God’s glory …
9 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
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Highlight Context - Luke 2: 1-14 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … Luke’s account of the humble, yet glorious, entrance of the King of kings into this world
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Reference Passage #1 - Isaiah 9: 6-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … The prophesy of God sending His Son as a humble child to one day rule all mankind in His glory and majesty
Reference Passage #2 - Philippians 2: 5-11 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … God set aside all of His glorious majesty and was born in such humble circumstances, lived as a servant, and died in ignominy, to then be exalted and returned to His place at the right hand of His Father in heaven.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Bill Crowder, began by describing the quaint Christmas traditions in the Ukraine. He wrote …
The people of Ukraine include many wonderful elements in their observance of Christmas. Sometimes wisps of hay are placed on the dinner table as a reminder of the Bethlehem manger. Another portion of their celebration echoes the events of the night when the Savior entered the world. A Christmas prayer is offered and then the father in the household offers the greeting, “Christ is born!” The family then responds, “Let us glorify Him!”
And then Crowder made his highlight Scriptural reference to the classic description of Christ’s birth by Luke, the physician, … with all the details of Jesus’ humble birth, found in Luke 2: 1-14, linked above for any reader’s meditation. And each time I read/meditate on that passage with an attitude of knowing my Lord more intimately, especially during the Advent season, I’m drawn to the stark ironies and contrasts in that wondrous historical scenario.
There were the humble shepherds abiding in the fields near Bethlehem … and the Angels appearing in the heavens above. … There was the King of kings being born in the humblest of places, a manger, and likely a cave, where the cattle were housed.
Actually my favorite “Christmas” description of the Lord coming to earth was authored by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2: 5-11 [also linked above] where he describes how God, the Son, set aside His glorious majesty to be born and live as a humble servant of mankind, even unto death on a cross, to save me, … and you, … and all of those who are willing to humbly repent of self and receive Christ as Lord of lords and King of Kings.
And this is that Advent season when we come to revisit and revel in the glory and majesty of our Lord coming to earth and being so humbly born in a manger with the Angels declaring, “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace, goodwill to men.” … And along with me in this time of year, do I sense a wondrous, “AMEN and HALLELUJAH?!!”
My Prayer for Today … Lord, … O let us remember You’re coming in humility to glorify Your Father and to save mankind. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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