At the Approach of Morning

Today is Christmas Eve. 
And our meditation is from Martin Luther:

"The angel said unto them, "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people; for there is born to you this day a Savior who is Christ the Lord."   -Luke 2:10

The angel does not simply say, Christ is born, but to you he is born. Neither does the angel say I bring glad tidings, but to you I bring glad tidings of great joy. Furthermore, this joy was not to remain in Christ, but it shall be to all people…..

The Gospel does not merely teach about the history of Christ. No, it enables all who believe it to receive it as their own, which is the way the Gospel operates. Of what benefit would it be to me if Christ had been born a thousand times, and it would daily be sung into my ears in a most lovely manner, if I were never to hear that he was born for me and was to be my very own? 

(from Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas, Orbis Press)


Today I invite us to reflect on the the approach of God on Christmas morning. What would it look and feel like if God were coming just for us? How would your life be different if you knew that the Christ child were born particularly, specifically, especially for you?

Psalm 46

א  לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי-קֹרַח--    עַל-עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר.	1 For the Leader; [a Psalm] of the sons of Korah; upon Alamoth. A Song.
ב  אֱלֹהִים לָנוּ, מַחֲסֶה וָעֹז;    עֶזְרָה בְצָרוֹת, נִמְצָא מְאֹד.	2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
ג  עַל-כֵּן לֹא-נִירָא, בְּהָמִיר אָרֶץ;    וּבְמוֹט הָרִים, בְּלֵב יַמִּים.	3 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, and though the mountains be moved into the heart of the seas;
ד  יֶהֱמוּ יֶחְמְרוּ מֵימָיו;    יִרְעֲשׁוּ הָרִים בְּגַאֲוָתוֹ סֶלָה.	4 Though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains shake at the swelling. Selah
ה  נָהָר--פְּלָגָיו, יְשַׂמְּחוּ עִיר-אֱלֹהִים;    קְדֹשׁ, מִשְׁכְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן.	5 There is a river, the streams make glad the city of God, the holiest dwelling-place of the Most High.
ו  אֱלֹהִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ, בַּל-תִּמּוֹט;    יַעְזְרֶהָ אֱלֹהִים, לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר.	6 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, at the approach of morning.
ז  הָמוּ גוֹיִם, מָטוּ מַמְלָכוֹת;    נָתַן בְּקוֹלוֹ, תָּמוּג אָרֶץ.	7 Nations were in tumult, kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
ח  יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ;    מִשְׂגָּב-לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה.	8 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah
ט  לְכוּ-חֲזוּ, מִפְעֲלוֹת יְהוָה--    אֲשֶׁר-שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ.	9 Come, behold the works of the LORD, who has made desolations in the earth.
י  מַשְׁבִּית מִלְחָמוֹת,    עַד-קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ: קֶשֶׁת יְשַׁבֵּר, וְקִצֵּץ חֲנִית;    עֲגָלוֹת, יִשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ.	10 God makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaks the bow, and cuts the spear in sunder; He burns the chariots in the fire.
יא  הַרְפּוּ וּדְעוּ, כִּי-אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים;    אָרוּם בַּגּוֹיִם, אָרוּם בָּאָרֶץ.	11 'Let be, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'
יב  יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ;    מִשְׂגָּב-לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה.	12 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah