9781644135945

The Christmas Cycle
We shall see Him also with the eyes of faith. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us
(and we saw His glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father), full of grace and
truth” ( Jn 1:14). In this child in the manger are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
“For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead corporeally” (Col 2:9). He is the
one “who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature. For in Him were all
things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or
principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him and in Him. And He is before all; and
by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning,
the first-born from the dead; that in all things He may hold the primacy. Because in Him it hath
well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; and through Him to reconcile all things
unto Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross, both as to the things that are on
earth, and the things that are in heaven” (Col 1:15–23).
We behold the child. His human soul is completely immersed in the majesty and the glory
of the Godhead. Since He is in continual possession of the vision of God, He has all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. His soul possesses the vision of the future; it is continually concerned
with my salvation, and offers itself up for me and prays for me continually. In the hands of
this child is placed the government of the heavens and the earth; His power extends over angels
and men, over spirits and hearts. “All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth” (Mt 28:18).
This is He “who was made to Him of the seed of David according to the flesh; who was predestinated
the Son of God in power according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection
of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead; by whom we have received grace and apostleship for
obedience to the faith in all nations for His name, among whom are you also the called of Jesus
Christ our Lord” (Epistle). We rejoice in the honor that is bestowed on us in our election to
the faith in Jesus Christ. With our whole soul we believe in Him who has become true man and
our brother in the flesh. We believe, too, that He is the Son of God, for He convincingly proved
His divinity by His resurrection from the dead.
The King of Glory will come to mankind, to the family of nations, and to the hearts of
all men, in order to bring them salvation. “Be ye lifted up, O eternal gates”; be opened to
Him in faith and longing that you may receive His rule. For it is a rule of grace, of love, and of
peace — peace for man with God and with himself. Today we prepare ourselves for His blessed
rule by purifying our hearts, our souls, and our thoughts. We shall make our hearts a crib in
which He may rest secure.
“The King of Glory shall enter in.” He comes now in the lowliness of suffering in order to
overcome death; He will one day come in glory as Judge and Ruler of the world. Christmas is the
complement of the coming of the Lord on the last day. Blessed are they who now share His lowliness,
for they may look forward to His coming as Master and Judge with confidence and hope.
Prayer
O God, who dost gladden us with the yearly expectation of our redemption, grant that we who
now joyfully receive Thy only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also without fear behold
Him coming as our Judge, our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who with Thee liveth and reigneth
world without end. Amen.
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