Daily Devotional -- Christmas Edition

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Three. Wednesday.

IF CHRISTMAS ISN’T MERRY

Read; Luke 2:21-33.

“And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.”

One Christmas I saw a cartoon that showed a boy gazing into a store window at a sign that read:
HAVE THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!
Thoughtfully, he said, “It’s pretty hard to top the first one.”
Years ago my husband and I had an experience that drew our attention to that first Christmas. In mid-December, I gave birth prematurely to a much-wanted son. As our “Tiny Tim” struggled for life, he was rushed to another hospital. Then, miles away from us, he died all alone. Christmas that year was not jolly but grievous.
In our grief, however, God gave us a moving glimpse of His original Christmas. We saw that God also experienced empty arms, but in a much greater way. His baby Son had been born to die—a death that would bring eternal life to us all. Like Mary, we cherished and pondered these thoughts in our hearts. Slowly, the unhappiness that had threatened to diminish the meaning of Christmas enlarged it instead. In time, that Christmas became the most meaningful one we’ve ever had.
Christmas this year will be unavoidably sad for many people—perhaps for you. Take heart! Christmas needn’t be merry to be meaningful. It’s the Christ of Christmas we celebrate, not Christmas itself. Ponder Him! —Joanie Yoder.

Come with the spirit and heart of a child—
It matters not what we share,
For Christmas isn’t Christmas at all
Unless the Christ-child is there. —Anon.

To put meaning into your Christmas, give Christ first place.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Three. Thursday.

WEIGHED DOWN AT CHRISTMAS

Read; Luke 4:14-21.

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit. To Galilee, and news of Him went through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“ The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing””

During a December visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I paused to admire the magnificent Christmas tree. It was covered with angels and surrounded at it’s base by an elaborate 18th-century nativity scene. Nearly 200 figures, including shepherds, the Magi, and a crowd of townspeople, looked in anticipation toward the manger or gazed up in awe at the angels.
But one figure appeared different from the rest—a barefoot man, who carried a heavy load on his back and looked at the ground. It struck me that this man, like so many people today, was so weighed down that he couldn’t see the Messiah.
Christmas can be a difficult time for those who carry the burden of hard work, stressful family situations, and personal loss. But we should remember that Christ came into our world to lift up all those who are bowed down. Jesus used the words of Isaiah to announce His God-given mission on earth: “To preach the gospel to the poor; . . . to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18).
Jesus came to lift our burdens so we can raise our eyes to welcome Him at Christmas. —David McCasland.

Help us, Lord, to give our burdens
To Your tender, loving care;
Grant us faith to trust You fully,
Knowing that each one You bear. —D. De Haan.

To find true joy at Christmas, look to Jesus.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Three. Friday.

THE BABY GREW UP

Read; John 3:13-18.

“No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Don of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shouls not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Even Christians can miss the point of the Christmas story if they aren’t careful. Halford E. Luccock warned of that danger in a thought provoking essay. Here is what he wrote; “We can become so charmed with the story of a baby that we grow sentimental about it. It does not ask that we do anything about it; it does not demand any vital change in our way of thinking and living.
“The great question for us is this: Is our Christmas still only a story about a baby, or is it more, a . . . story about a Person into whom the baby grew, who can redeem the world from its sins, and who calls us into partnership with His great and mighty purposes?”
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, he said, “You shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). It is only as we see the birth of Jesus in light of His crucifixion and resurrection that we are able to grasp the full meaning of Christ’s coming.
With your eyes wide open this Christmas, respond to God with love and commitment for the gift of His Son. Focus your thoughts and actions and motivations towards honoring the Baby who grew up and died for all our sins.
Christ the Savior is born! —David McCasland.

When we look beyond the manger
To the cross of Calvary,
We will know the reason Christmas
Brings such joy to you and me. —D. De Haan.

The mission of the cross is hidden in the message of the cradle.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Three. Saturday/Sunday.

A Timeless Name: “Everlasting Father”

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given . . . .
And His name will be called . . . . Everlasting Father.

The symbolic use of the word father was an ancient Hebraism for “possessor of.” In Isaiah 9:6 the Messiah is described as both a Son and a Father. He became a child in time (through the incarnation), but He is the Father (and possessor) of eternity.
He inhabits and possesses eternity. “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).

His name is eternal. “His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. and men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed” (Psalm 72:17).

He is the eternal provider. “He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.’ ” (Revelation 21:6). He is eternal in all that He is and all that He does! This implies several crucial truths claimed for God’s Messiah in both Old and New Testaments.

* He is preexistent. “ Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2).

* He is self-existent. In Exodus 3 we find the name “I AM.” This name describes and defines the God who is. He is totally independent of time.

* He is the God who is Alpha and Omega, the God of the eternal present tense. As self-existent, He is wholly and completely self-dependent. Frederick Faber wrote, “No age can keep its outward years on Thee, dear God! Thou art, Thyself, Thine own eternity.”

In the events recorded in John 8:12-58, a fascinating dialog occurs. The exchange is between Jesus and His religious antagonists, the Pharisees. Jesus called God his Father. The Pharisees called Abraham their father. Jesus said that if Abraham was their father they would do the works of Abraham. They responded that at least they were not born of fornication (implying that Mary had been sexually active before marriage), and then matched Jesus’ claim that all have one father—God. To this Jesus replied;

“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do" (John 8:42-44).

The pharisees were making their claim to Abraham and to the God of Abraham, but Jesus wasn’t backing down. More important, He clarified that their link to Abraham was only physical. Spiritually they were of their father the devil.
Then Jesus made the most amazing statement of all: “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). To His countrymen, He had finally gone too far. They recognized that by such a claim he was making Himself equal with God. (In Exodus 3:14, Moses met the God who identified Himself as the “I AM WHO I AM.”) As on several other occasions, Jesus so infuriated the pharisees that they picked up stones with the intent to kill Him.
In retrospect, we can see more than the Pharisees’ rage. We can also see One who by His miraculous life, death, and resurrection has shown His right to the name Isaiah’s prophecy had given to the Messiah 600 years before Jesus’ birth.
The truth of the eternality of the Messiah is something that has come under continuous attack for centuries. But the inescapable fact is that all groups who reject the eternality of the Messiah of Christ also reject His deity. The two are inseparable! If Jesus is not eternal, He is not God—and vice versa. Yet Isaiah said that when Messiah came, He would be the physical embodiment of the Everlasting Father.
The ability of Christ to be a timeless source of fatherly protection and provision is claimed in a number of ways in the New Testament.
* His character is described as eternally consistent and immutable (unchanging). Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
* His New Testament title Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8) uses the first (alpha) and last (omega) letter of the Greek alphabet to symbolize that Christ is before everything and will surpass everything.
* He declared that His divine judgement will be an eternal one (Matthew 18:8).
* John the Baptist, whose birth preceded Jesus, still recognized the eternality of Christ when he said, “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me’” (John 1:30). He is the eternal One!

* * *
The self-existence of God’s Messiah means that He will not leave us, as all earthly fathers eventually do. The eternal God took upon Himself the limitations of a human body so that He could bring us into an everlasting relationship with Himself.
May we take time to think about Christ, the timeless One who invaded time to rescue us from sin and self. He is the Father of Eternity who has given eternal life to make it possible for us to have eternal peace with God and with one another.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Four. Monday.

HE CAME NEAR

Read; Matthew 1:18-25

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
But while he thought about these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring fortg a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.”

One wintry day a man was walking down the street and noticed some grain on the ground. A flock of sparrows was having an unscheduled feast. As the man took a step toward the birds, they became uneasy. Another step, and their nervousness increased. When he was almost upon them, they suddenly flew away.
For a few moments the man stood there reflecting on what had happened. Why had those sparrows scattered in flight? He had meant no harm. But then he realized that he was too big.
Another question came to mind: How could he walk among those birds without frightening them by his size? It would only be possible if he were able to become a sparrow and fly down among them.
The spiritual analogy is clear. In Old Testament times God appeared to people in various ways—to Abraham through heavenly messengers, to Moses out of the burning bush. They were afraid because of God’s awesomeness. But centuries later the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds and announced, “There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Yes, God became a man so that we would not be afraid to draw near to Him.! —Paul Van Gorder.

Without reluctance, flesh and blood His substance,
He took the form of man, revealed the hidden plan.
O glorious mystery, sacrifice of Calvary,
And now I know Thou art the great “I Am.” —Booth-Clibborn.

Jesus’ birth brought the infinite God within reach of finite man.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Four. Tuesday.

BACK TO WORK

Read; Luke 2:15-20

“So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

If you’re going back to work after Christmas, what will you take with you? A few gifts and some warm holiday memories, or something more?
I like the way J. B. Phillips translates Luke 2:20—“The shepherds went back to work, glorifying and praising God for everything that they had heard and seen, which had happened just as they had been told.”
After hearing the angel’s announcement of Messiah’s birth, after visiting Bethlehem where they found the baby lying in a manger, after telling people the amazing things they had heard about this child—after all this, the shepherds went back to the fields, the sheep, and their daily routine.
But they returned from that first Christmas with something new—hearts full of praise for what they had experienced. Their circumstances were the same, but they themselves were different—they had encountered Christ the Lord.
Have you encountered Christ this Christmas, perhaps through the Bible or a new appreciation of His coming? When someone asks, “How was your holiday?” what will you say? With Jesus in your heart, you can go back to work with joy and a word of witness to others—glorifying and praising God for everything you have heard and seen —David McCasland.

Joy to the world! the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing. —Watts.

Take the joy of Christmas with you every day.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Four. Wednesday.

O HOLY NIGHT

Read; Luke 2:1-14

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Agustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you. You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

According to tradition, a Christmas song once brought peace to a battlefeild. It happened on Christmas eve during the Franco-German War (1870-1871) as the two sides faced each other in their trenches.
A French soldier jumped up and began singing “O Holy Night.” The surprised German soldiers did not fire. Instead, one of them stepped forward to sing “From Heaven Above To Earth I Come.”
For a brief time at least, peace on earth prevailed and goodwill was shared among men whose job it was to kill each other.
Think about the words of “O Holy Night” and see how they can bring hostilities to a halt. “Long lay the world in sin and error pining.” Who knows about the world’s ills better than soldiers who are facing the consequences of war, killing, and death?
“A thrill of hope” is what those men needed in the darkness of that winter night. Hope is what “the dear Savior’s birth” provides. Because of Him the “weary world rejoices.”
Even though we may not be engaged in physical combat, we all face the battles of everyday life. We can let the peace of that holy night—the might of our dear Savior’s birth—reign in our hearts the whole year through —Dave Branon.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt it’s worth. —Dwight.

God gave us His Son to give us peace.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Four. Thursday.

FIRST BREATH

Read; Colossians 1:15-20

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

Russell Nagy’s moving choral anthem “The Promise” contains these words:

Silently by night,
in mortal flesh enshrouded
He who framed the mountains
draws first breath.
Far from human sight
the promise never forgotten
Is in love begotten
to conquer death.

The marvel of Christmas is that the Maker of the mountains took his first breath as a baby. The One who framed the universe assumed human flesh so He could save us. The Incarnation is the astounding combination of who descended from heaven to earth, how He arrived, and why He came. “By Him all things were created . . . and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself . . . having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:16-17, 19-20).
When Jesus took His first breath on earth, a loving promise of God the Father had been fulfilled. The Christ Child whom the angels announced and the shepherds proclaimed had come to die.
The Baby in the manger was the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, (v.15) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (v.14).
Come, let us adore Him!—David McCasland.

The Incarnation is a marvel of God’s power and love.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Four. Friday.

THE FORGOTTEN TREE

Read; Acts 10:34-43

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

In Acts 10:39, the cross of Calvary is called a tree. It’s also referred to this way in Acts 5:30, Acts 13:29, Galations 3:13, and 1 Peter 2:24.
At this season when much attention is paid to the Christmas tree covered with tinsel, ornaments, and colored lights, the rugged cross of Calvary might well be called the forgotten tree of Christmas. Many people completely overlook the purpose for which Jesus came to earth. The true significance of His birth can be lost in the trappings, gift-giving, and party going associated with the celebration of this holiday.
We must keep clearly in mind the real meaning of Christmas. Luke tells us that “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The Babe of Bethlehem was born to die. He came to give His life as a sacrifice for sin by hanging on a tree—not a tinsel-covered thing of beauty, but an ugly, cruel instrument of execution.
As we remember our Savior’s birth in Bethlehem’s stable, let’s be deeply conscious that it is vitally related to Golgotha’s hill where He was crucified, and where He shed His blood for the sins of the world.
Don’t let Calvary’s cross be the forgotten tree of Christmas. It’s the most important one! —Richard De Haan.

This joyous season of the year
Should prompt us to recall
That Jesus’ death on Calvary
Provides new life for all. —Sper

The Christ of Christmas is also the Christ of Calvary.

[sandyrowglenman]

Week Four. Saturday/Sunday.

A Comforting Name: “Prince Of Peace”

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given . . . .
And His name will be called . . . . Prince of Peace.

The name “Prince of Peace” is the Hebrew Shar Shalom, which means “the one who removes all peace-disturbing factors and secures the peace.” This sets Him apart from most human rulers whose reigns often depend on bloody conquest. His rule rests on bloody sacrifice! What a contrast to such Biblical kings as Nebuchadnezzar, and even David, whose rule was established on might, but not necessarily on right.
The name “Peaceful Prince” helps to explain why Jesus disappointed His countrymen when He came! They did not want a peaceful prince. They wanted a monarch who would annihilate their foes and establish again the glories the kingdom of Israel knew in the golden days of Solomon. They wanted the Roman rulers taken away and all their other oppressors with them.
But Jesus didn’t lift a finger against Rome. He didn’t make one international peace treaty. How can He then be considered the Prince of Peace? Notice two very different statements from the new Testament. Luke 2:14 states, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” But in Matthew 10:34, Jesus said. “Do not think that I come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”How can these two statements be reconciled? Can we blame Jesus’ countrymen for rejecting the Prince of Peace if His own world is still engulfed in conflict as we move into the third millennium?
The New Testament says that the first phase of His coming was to establish a basis for peace with God and to offer it to individuals of all nations. The New Testament also claims that He will come a second time to bring peace to the earth.
The first phase of Messiah’s coming produced a peace unknown to man since the fall of Adam into sin. It is rooted in the saving mission carried out by Christ on our behalf. Paul wrote:
“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
This means that the peace Jesus brought is more than a negotiated ceasefire between ourselves and God. It is a peace that changes us from enemies into the children of God.
We clearly see the evidence that Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” in the New Testament:

His power. So significant was the power of the Son of God that He was able to bring calm to the natural storms on the turbulent Sea of Galilee. “He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

His cross. So effective is His work on the cross that it is able to make peace between God and man. “It pleased the Father . . . by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked words, yet now He has reconciled” (Colossians 1:19-21).

His gospel. The good news of salvation in Christ is acknowledged as the root of peace in the hearts of the redeemed. “The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36).

His body. Though Judaism separated Jews and Gentiles, Christ has not only reconciled God and man. He has reconciled Jew and Gentile so that we are now one body in Christ. “He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation” (Ephesians 2:14).

What is the importance of the name “Prince of Peace” to the believer today? Those who trust Christ as their Mediator and Savior are given by God an assurance that flows out of a right relationship with Him. Once we are in Christ, the Prince of Peace shows us that He can bring peace wherever He rules. He can bring:

Peace in life’s trials. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Peace in life’s maturing process. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Peace in life’s victories. “The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly”(Romans 16:20).

Peace in life’s relationships. “. . . endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

* * *
What a treasure is ours in Isaiah’s predicted Messiah. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. May we give Him worship, as we ponder the great God that He is!