Reverence and Awe

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

As we enjoy the company of our family and friends this morning; opening gifts and drinking lots of coffee (if you're like me) or lots of Diet Coke (if you're like Pastor Jim) may we not lose sight of who is at the center of our joyous celebration. Christ our Savior, the Word become flesh, Emanuel, the perfect Lamb of God, our propitiation and our righteousness.
May we heed Spurgeon's timely exhortation this morning...

Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory.

Let us listen to the wisdom of Spurgeon and end our Christmas day by washing anew in the cleansing fountain of the blood of Christ. May it be the beginning of a habitual meditation on the glory of our Redeemer.

The precious blood of the Lamb slain removes the guilt, and purges away the defilement of our sins of ignorance and carelessness. This is the best ending of a Christmas-day—to wash anew in the cleansing fountain. Believer, come to this sacrifice continually; if it be so good to-night, it is good every night. To live at the altar is the privilege of the royal priesthood; to them sin, great as it is, is nevertheless no cause for despair, since they draw near yet again to the sin-atoning victim, and their conscience is purged from dead works.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "The Son of God Came Down". I love it because it magnifies the perfection found in God's redemptive plan. That God would send His own Son not simply to be born of a miraculous virgin birth (though He was)... but to die, on a cross, to reconcile God to man, received freely by grace! If that isn't good news, then there's no such thing!

The Son of God came down and laid aside His crown
Born without great renown, this Sovereign One
All holiness and might, all glory shining bright
Have come to earth this night in Mary's son
O come, let us adore

O Christ the Lord, our hope and Savior
Son of God yet made like us
O Christ the Lord, our King adored
Born a child, our Lord Jesus

Messiah born so small, asleep in cattle stall
Come to redeem our fall, nailed to a tree
This tiny, helpless child
Through death would reconcile
The holy God and vile, His grace so free
O come, let us adore

Merry Christmas RBC!! May the Lord bless you and keep you!!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon