Daily Devotion for December 28, 2005

It’s about a Covenant

Take courage, my children, cry to God,
   and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy.
For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you,
   and joy has come to me from the Holy One,
because of the mercy that will soon come to you
   from your everlasting saviour.* Baruch 4:21-22,

 

Christmas speaks to the promise and everlasting covenant of God that comes to us in the Christ Child!  We live because of that Covenant!

 

In Baruch, we read, “God will deliver us from the power and the hands of the enemy. God will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.”

 

In Galatians, St. Paul speaks of the promises made to Abraham and his offspring. With regard to the law, he says, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to it [the law], for in Christ Jesus
we are all children of God through faith.” Galatians 3:15-22

 

In the Gospel of Luke, we read the prophecy of John the Baptizer’s father, Zechariah, who said, “God has raised up a mighty savior for us and has remembered his holy covenant that he swore to Abraham, that we would be rescued from the hands of our enemies. You, child, will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins, and to guide their feet into the ways of peace.” Luke 1:67-80  This prophecy is not just about the birth of Christ, but about his life, death and glorious resurrection.

 

For this the psalmist says, “Let all things that God has created praise the Lord.” Psalms 148, 150
I feel that he envisions this being done with all the stops pulled out, with the sound of organ, trumpets, strings, harp, cymbals and timpani. If he were given a score of Handel’s magnificent work the “Messiah,” I am certain that he would quickly move past the opening aria, calling for comfort of his people, to the “Alleluia Chorus,” proclaiming Christ to be “King of Kings and Lord of Lords who shall reign forever, and ever and ever. Alleluia! Alleluia!”

 

It is this wonderful promise that brings us to this special point in our liturgical year when we once again celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus, our Savior.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in this Christ Child that has come, who lives and reigns, may we find peace and comfort today and all days.  Amen

 

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