January 1, 2021 - Christmas Devotion
This Sunday, January 3, 9:30 a.m.
The Second Sunday After Christmas
"And This Will Be A Sign For You … A Sign Anew!"
Join us next Sunday, January 10,
The Baptism Of Our Lord
"The Bright New Light!"
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vs. 1
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Once you sang creation’s story;
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.
refrain:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ,
The newborn King.
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory to your people Israel.””
A blessed anticipated New Year to one and all!
What are you searching for in this new year? Have you stopped looking for Christmas, for The Christ? The wise men have not even arrived yet! Today, is only The Eighth Day Of Christmas!
Do you ever feel like what you are finding, what you are seeing, is nothing new?
This weekend, as we share in Luke’s Gospel, Simeon had been searching, longing for, watching and waiting, for the same thing, for what had been promised for years, for centuries, and then suddenly, before his very eyes, The Sign was anew, `he could now go in peace, for his eyes had seen his salvation!’
When we read about Simeon, it can be easy for us to think:
How amazing that must have been!
That was a long, long time ago; moments like that don’t happen today!
Simeon was so special to God!
When we read about Simeon, we are invited to read about us:
How amazing it still is!
By God’s grace, moments like this are still happening today!
We are each so special to God!
The Holy Spirit rests on us, too!
It has been revealed to us, too, that we would not see death until we have seen the Messiah, and his name is, Jesus!
All is being made new before our very eyes, in the signs of God’s grace anew, for us, too, in Emmanuel, as a new year begins, as each new day begins, in our Savior, Jesus The Christ!
May we believe anew, the wait is over! The angels are still singing creation’s story, proclaiming Messiah’s birth! Let us sing anew! Let us come anew! Let us worship anew, Christ, the newborn King!
Let us pray: Loving God, in the grace of Christmas, you, Emmanuel, come to us; you are our joy in the world; you are why the angels forever sing. Come anew, now to us, keep alive in us, your hope and light. As a new year begins, in each and every new day, keep Christmas coming to us; keep Christ coming anew to us; keep your Holy Spirit resting on us, too; keep revealing the Messiah to us, too; in every sign of your saving grace. Renew us in The Word made flesh, The Light no darkness can overcome. In the glory of the newborn King, we pray. Amen.
Watch for two added special seasonal devotions on January 5, The Twelfth Day of Christmas, and on January 6, The Epiphany of Our Lord!