The Dayspring

Dear Weekly Readers!

There is only a little more than a week before we celebrate the best and most precious gift ever given to anyone in the history of the world.   A precious baby was born, for the express purpose of redeeming falling mankind.   To save you and me!  To save us for all eternity.  Nothing can compare to the Love of God that we have in Christ Jesus!

Oh, that God would reveal ever more this great act of Love that was given to us in the person of Jesus Christ.  If we could see the full extent of this, we could not contain the joy that we would have.  So today we pray that the Lord will fill us to overflowing with the Joy of the season, which comes through faith in the completed work of His Son Jesus Christ! 

Enjoy this article by Pastor Ron Holmgren.  Also, please pray for this dear pastor as he has liver cancer.   He is the head pastor of a very large congregation in WA, USA.   

THE DAYSPRING

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying... And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.  Luke 1:67, 76-79
T HIS NAME OF OUR LORD is descriptive. Without much stretching we can grasp some of the meaning. We can see the dark night with all its questions, fears and mystery passing away as the sun rises to its zenith and all of darkness flees. The sun is not slowed down. Darkness must yield. As the Apostle of love explains, darkness could not apprehend, attain, nor overtake it.

Shadows of the night are replaced with full revelation. All living things reach for the warmth of the rays and their colors are radiant as they are seen reflecting the sun. When Paul wrote of the whole of creation groaning and suffering in pain together, it was waiting for the deliverance from corruption as we all do. And now is come salvation, now is the revelation of all things which were hidden when darkness prevailed. Rejoice my friend, and sing of the Light that has come to us who sat in darkness.

Jesus is born in Bethlehem and He has brought salvation with Him. He will lead us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. The father of John the Baptist preached the words, "the Dayspring from on high hath visited us." He knew that his son would precede the great deliverer Jesus Christ. John would prepare the way of the Lord and point Him out to those who looked for deliverance.

This is the beauty of Christmas. Light has come and we can walk in the light as He is in the light. When I was a boy, our family had many traditions. We made preparations for the season of Christmas with decorations, gifts and special food. The Norwegian heritage included so many things like sweets, sausage, fish and meat balls. I well remember those days with fondness.  Grandparents and other relatives gathered together and a festive atmosphere filled the house. Lights and candy, snow hoped for even if it seldom came in our area.

And with all this the church sang and talked of the incarnation of Jesus. Many times we worry that the meaning of Christmas is lost in all the festivities. It may be so, but we still can celebrate and share with one another the joy of His coming in our traditional ways. I believe just the fact that the world puts up all the lights and decorations is a testimony to the great effect Jesus has and continues to have on the whole world.

We continue to have traditions at home with our family. I pray our children remember these days as special and full of love, sharing and joyfully remembering the coming of the Lord Jesus in the manger.

God bless you this Christmas and through the coming year with the revelation of His love. Jesus came for you and for me to give us light and salvation through His ultimate gift on the cross of Calvary.

 ~ Pastor Ron Holmgren