Christmas Eve is probably my most favorite day of the year. It always was as a child. I looked forward to Christmas morn, but I anticipated Christmas Eve. I still do. I look forward to this candle light service all year long.
Hope has a name. Jesus.
Thou God of all grace,
Thou hast given me a Savior,
produce in me a faith to live by Him,
to make Him all my desire,
all my hope,
all my glory.
~The Valley of Vision
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth."
~John 1:14
O source of all good,
what shall I render to Thee for the gift of gifts,
Thine own dear Son, begotten, not created,
my redeemer, proxy, surety, substitute,
His self-emptying incomprehensible,
His infinity of love beyond the heart's grasp.
Herein is wonder of wonders:
He came below to raise me above,
was born like me that I might become like HIm.
Herein is love:
when I cannot rise to Him He grows near on wings of grace, to raise me to Himself.
Herein is power:
when Diety and humanity were infinitely apart
He united them in indissoluble unity, the uncreate and the created.
Herein is wisdom:
when I was undone, with no will to return to Him,
and no intellect to devise recovery,
He came, God-incarnate, to save me to the uttermost,
as man to die my death,
to shed satisfying blood on my behalf,
to work out a perfect righteousness for me.
O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds, and enlarge my mind;
let me hear good tidings of great joy,
and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,
my conscience bathes in an ocean of repose,
my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father;
place me with ox, ass, camel, goat,
to look with them upon my redeemer's face,
and in Him account myself delivered from sin;
let me with Simeon clasp the newborn child to my heart,
embrace Him with undying faith,
exulting that He is mine and I am His.
In Him Thou hast given me so much that heaven can give no more.
~The Valley of Vision
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
upon them a light has shined.
For unto us a Child is born,
unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful,
Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace."
~Isaiah 9:2, 6
And, to all, a good night.
