Pilgrim Heart

Christmas Devotions

I'm planning to post some more Christmas devotions this year, but while I'm working on that why not link on the "Christmas" category and have a look through some from previous years?

Merry Christmas

I've just snuck away from the fun for a couple of minutes, it's 5pm and we haven't got on to dessert yet! Top presents this year: blow lamp (kitchen variety), "Albion" by Peter Ackroyd (I've read about 12 pages so far and clearly he esteems the same kind of Englishness I do) and 2 bottles of single malt scotch.

Lunch was turkey (of course) with home made cranberry and onion sauce plus a 4-rib beef roast, slow cooked and rare in the middle.

Coolest kid's present must be Theo's radio controlled hovercraft!

I trust you are having a joyful and peaceful Christmas, celebrating the day that eternity broke into our misery to bring us life in all its fulness!

Favourite Christmas Song?

Inspired by Roger's attempts to get seasonal, I thought I would post on Christmas songs. One of my favourite truly Christmas songs is O Come O Come Emmanuel. The longing and prophetic expection that it expresses I find very moving (the version in the link is a bit fast IMHO!).

My absolute favourite secular seasonal serving is Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses, here's a nooma style vid on YouTube. I like it for the redemptive message, the beat displacement, the odd meter brass tag, the voluminous libreto, and of course because it's from the 80s!

Christmas Devotion 6: True Fellowship

Luke 1:39-56

When these two women of faith meet together there is a spark of faith and an impartation of the Holy Spirit as they encourage each other about the goodness of God. We see here in action what we later read in Ephesians 5, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord.” Even the unborn baby John leapt for joy responding to the Spirit of God. As believers we also can know this sparking of faith and flow of the Holy Spirit as we encourage one another in God and talk about his goodness and faithfulness. Praise God that he is faithful, and we always have something to say to each other about his goodness, mercy and kindness!

Christmas Devotion 5: Nothing is Impossible with God

Luke 1:26-38

I doubt whether any of us will ever have an encounter that compares with Mary’s: but there is much we can learn from her response. She actually believed the unbelievable message that the angel brought her—she didn't argue or protest, but simply responded with obedience, faith and humility. We should all remember the angel’s words, “nothing is impossible with God,” whenever we hear the call of God, whether it’s to something big or small. Praise God that through obedience, faith and humility we too can see the impossible come to a reality in our lives!

Christmas Devotion 4: The Shepherd of Peace

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. (Micah 5:2-5a)

God had spoken clearly through the Scriptures concerning the coming of the Messiah. The wise and learned men of Herod’s court used this scripture to explain where the Messiah would be born. But how little the people of Jesus’ day seemed to understand about what the Messiah would be like! When we read these verses we know that they speak of the Lord we know! Jesus is the great Shepherd, and he is our Great Shepherd: we are his people the sheep of his pasture. Our security is guaranteed by God’s greatness and our peace flows from his rule. Praise God that we live in the care and security of the Lordship of Jesus!

Christmas Devotion 3: God With Us

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:1-7)

Immanuel means “God With Us.” When Jesus was born it was “unto us.” We are not an afterthought in the purposes of God—how could we be when he sent his Son to us, for us and to be with us! Again we see Jesus as the bringer of light (9:2); the bringer of the Kingdom (9:6-7) and the destroyer of the works of the evil one (9:4-5). The rule of God always brings peace. Praise God that we are subjects in a Kingdom whose ruler is called “Prince of Peace!”

Christmas Devotion 2: A Star Is Born

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities! (Numbers 24:17-19)

One of the truly remarkable things about this prophecy is that it came from the lips of Balaam—a “prophet” who was hired to curse the people of God by Balak, king of Moab! However, when Balaam stood to speak he could bring no curse, but rather saw down through the centuries to a time when Jesus the Saviour would come. Consider the descriptions given of Jesus: a “star” because he brings light to the world; a “sceptre” because he came to bring in the rule of his kingdom; and a crusher of heads—because he was to defeat entirely the evil one and all his works. Praise God that the eternal purpose hadn’t changed!

Christmas Devotion 1: God Always Wins!

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:14-16)

The same day sin entered the world, God also showed the way he would save us from it. One day a child would be born to a woman, and that child would crush the head of the evil one. This was what Jesus was born to do (see 1 John 3:8). It’s amazing to think that the horrific death that Jesus suffered on the cross is referred to as being struck on the heel when compared with the absolute crushing victory that Jesus won over the devil. Praise God that Jesus was born for victory! His incarnation was to show and prove to all creation, and for all time, that Jesus is indeed Lord of all and the means of salvation for all mankind.

Christmas Devotions

Over the next couple of weeks I will be posting daily devotions for the Christmas season - I hope you'll enjoy them. There is a lot I enjoy about Christmas, and I certainly don't treat it as a religious festival. But I must admit that as I've got older I am more and more amazed at the wonder of the incarnation, and it is a great time of the year to take the opportunity to reflect at the beauty of it all!