Most Glorious Savior, You came into a dark and foreboding world. You were small and vulnerable. Darkness surround You, but You brought a new light into the world. Since the removal of man from the Garden of Eden, mankind had groaned and longed for One who would come to free them from sin and misery. They wanted a mighty king, but You came as a tiny infant. How much You must have loved me to come down and live among sinful man. The darkness of evil surrounded the earth without You here. Sin ran with reckless abandoned among all peoples. Not many would have thought much of Your plan, but You did because with both the attributes of God and man You knew it would succeed. Your earthly parents marveled at Your beauty, but little did they know about Your true beauty. O Little One, how great You will become.
You were Your Father’s personal gift of love. How much He must have grieved as men struggled to overcome sin in their own power. Seeing man’s futility, He had no choice but to send the only One who could set them free from their sins. How it must have pained His heart to know that You were the only sacrifice that could settle the debt owed to Him by us. What great love He had for me to ask You to pay the price for my sins. And how much love You must have had for Him and me to accept His request. I marvel at the Great Plan of Creation, but I marvel more at the Great Plan of Salvation. You had every right to come down as a king robed in royal robes but instead You took up Your initial residence in a stable. You came into the world as the lowest of men and grew into greatness to give hope to those who would choose to follow You. Truly Emmanuel has come to visit His people.
The Prophet Isaiah said that in the name Jesus is embodied the attributes of a “Wonderful Counselor”, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” In a time of great darkness, he was able to foresee the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a light to shatter the shadow of death that prevailed throughout the world. You are both the gift of a “Wonderful Counselor” and a “Mighty God.” You embellish the love of the “Everlasting Father”, and You are the “Prince of Peace” who settled the account of all men to eliminate the enmity that existed between God and man. From Your appearance on earth until this day and beyond, hope has arrived. Like a ripe fruit, salvation is ready for man to partake of it and experience newness of life. As a small seed that grows into a great tree, You came as a small infant to achieve greatness through the gift of Yourself on the cross. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Isaiah 9:4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdened them, the bar across their shoulders and the rod of their oppressor.