December 24, 2004

It is the evening of our Savior’s birth. What are we going to do? What action does this occasion require of us? Perhaps none if you do not call Jesus your Lord. But for those of us whom Christ is our King, what will it be?

“Haste, haste to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary!”

Laud is the highest praise; that is what we should be giving our king, and not only at Christmas but all the year through. Luke 1:46-48a, “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.’” That’s why we praise Him. That’s why we hurry to bring Christ laud. He has saved us from our lowly ways. We should be rejoicing and glorifying the Lord with our soul and our spirit because of the awesome gift of mercy, grace, and life he so willingly and lovingly bestowed upon us. We didn’t deserve it, not in the least bit, but God loved us any how, and He made the sacrifice anyway.

This birth we celebrate was a promise that generations had been waiting for. Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Not only is Christ’s birth a fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14, but also the beginning of the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. Christ has come to set us free from sin and death.

“Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.”

Hebrews chapter four talks about those with sinful, unbelieving hearts not being able to enter the rest of our long-expected Jesus. If we keep unbelief in our hearts we won’t be able to enter into this blessed rest (Hebrews 3:19). “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it [...] Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:1,11).

So, while the heavens and nature sing,

“Let every heart prepare Him room.”

We need to take the time to reflect during this season to see the awe in our glorious God, lowing himself to be a baby in a stable. We need to see our lowly state in front of a perfectly holy and majestic King. We need to see our great need for Him. We are truly undeserving and yet...and yet Christ sill came and lived a perfect life and died to fulfill God’s payment of our sins and rose the third day for the resurrection life we are now able to enjoy. Because of Christ’s humble state and glorious offering of His life,

“God and sinners reconciled.”

Let us be able to praise Christ’s name in the highest and know that He is the Light that shines quelling our fears and meeting the true desires of our hopes and dreams.

“Yet in the dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in Thee tonight.”