{"id":29418,"date":"2020-12-25T03:30:18","date_gmt":"2020-12-25T11:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=29418"},"modified":"2020-12-18T11:26:17","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T19:26:17","slug":"december-25-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2020\/12\/25\/december-25-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"December 25, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201c\u2026I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>John 10:10b<\/p>\n

Christmas Devotion(al)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Christmas Revisited<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The words to \u201cHark! The Herald Angels Sing,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0written by Charles Wesley, are so familiar to us, we probably don\u2019t consider the words. Today, in celebration of the birth of Christ, I ask you to meditate on how this well-known song tells the story of not only Christ\u2019s birth, but His character, His deity, His purpose, His work, His names, and our restored relationship to Him. Particularly note the words in the last two stanzas, which we commonly do not sing and possibly have never heard.<\/p>\n

\n

Hark! The herald angels sing,
\n\u201cGlory to the newborn King;
\nPeace on earth, and mercy mild,
\nGod and sinners reconciled!\u201d
\nJoyful, all ye nations rise,
\nJoin the triumph of the skies;
\nWith th\u2019 angelic host proclaim,
\n\u201cChrist is born in Bethlehem!\u201d<\/p>\n

Refrain:
\nHark! The herald angels sing,
\n\u201cGlory to the newborn King!\u201d<\/p>\n

Christ, by highest Heav\u2019n adored;
\nChrist the everlasting Lord;
\nLate in time, behold Him come,
\nOffspring of a virgin\u2019s womb.
\nVeiled in flesh the Godhead see;
\nHail th\u2019 incarnate Deity,
\nPleased with us in flesh to dwell,
\nJesus our Emmanuel.<\/p>\n

Hail the heav\u2019nly Prince of Peace!
\nHail the Sun of Righteousness!
\nLight and life to all He brings,
\nRis\u2019n with healing in His wings.
\nMild He lays His glory by,
\nBorn that man no more may die;
\nBorn to raise the sons of earth,
\nBorn to give them second birth.<\/p>\n

Come, Desire of nations, come,
\nFix in us Thy humble home;
\nRise, the woman\u2019s conqu\u2019ring Seed,
\nBruise in us the serpent\u2019s head.
\nNow display Thy saving pow\u2019r,
\nRuined nature now restore;
\nNow in mystic union join
\nThine to ours, and ours to Thine.<\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s likeness, Lord, efface,
\nStamp Thine image in its place:
\nSecond Adam from above,
\nReinstate us in Thy love.
\nLet us Thee, though lost, regain,
\nThee, the Life, the inner man:
\nOh, to all Thyself impart,
\nFormed in each believing heart.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Lord of all, we bow our knee in adoration before You on this Christmas day. As the words to this song tell us, would You stamp Your image upon us. May we regain You, Your life, in our inner man. Dwell within us, and impart Yourself to us; restore our ruined nature, display Your saving power, and join our nature to Yours–thus accomplishing what You came to do when You left Your throne in heaven and were born to save Your people. Your plan of redemption was perfect. Be glorified by our thanksgiving. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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