ADVENT MEDITATIONS - Part 8

DEC. 16 - (Страдание)
Today's meditational thought was about how we look at what Jesus came to earth to accomplish. From our human perspective, Jesus' death often seems like the opposite to what should have happened. That's the amazing thing about the way God works. He is masterful at using what seems to be bad to bring about good for us - and He has told us that we will suffer on this earth. But we can be sure of this: that as His children, He will use our suffering for our good and for His glory, just as He did through Christ's sacrifice for us.

I chose these verses for today - Romans 8:17-18 -- ...and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we also may be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

May we, not only at Christmas, but every day throughout the year, ask God for the grace to endure suffering with gratitude and praise to Him, because we know that He is using it to accomplish His excellent purposes in our lives and to bring about a glory that we could never imagine!

DEC. 17 - (Спасение)
Today's meditation was about salvation. Christ came for this purpose, to provide salvation and reconcile sinful mankind to God through His death on the cross.

I chose these verses for today - Romans 5:8-10 -- But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved through His life.

Such an incredibly great gift, this salvation!! And it was forever and unequivocally accomplished for us on the cross when Christ died. If we believe and accept that, we are saved from wrath. But the story doesn't end there -- because Christ rose, we are also being saved through His life! What an amazing God, that He would choose to show His love to sinful people in this way! That ALONE is the reason we sing songs of joy and hope at Christmas.

CELEBRATING ADVENT: Jesus Christ

INCARNATION

In the beginning when the world began, God was there -

He is eternal and unchanging, as the Scriptures declare.

The God who created everything by His Word alone

Chose to come to us and make Himself known.

And all those who believe and place their trust in Him,

His Spirit indwells and transforms them from within.

~ Darlene Koop, Dec. 31-2012 ~

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 ~

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ~ 1 John 4:9 ~

What a miracle, that the Son of God was supernaturally conceived and miraculously born of a virgin -- God come to earth in human flesh! For the One who spoke the whole world into existence, this was not impossible, and it was the way He chose to make Himself personally known to mankind.

Yet even more incredibly miraculous is the way that God, by the power of His Holy Spirit, can live inside us and change us from the inside out! This is why the incarnation is not confined merely to the celebration of Christmas -- because the greatest miracle was the redemption that Jesus Christ purchased for us when He died on the cross and rose from the dead.

And though Christ's incarnation is complete, we have not yet been fully glorified. This is why we eagerly await the second coming of our Lord -- when we will finally see Him in all of His glory and we will know Him and live with Him the way God intended it to be from the beginning.

Without Christmas, without the cross and the empty grave, this hope would not be possible. And so, although for many of us the celebrations are over for another year, I issue this challenge:

Let us celebrate the miracle, the incarnation of the One and Only King, Lord and Savior of the world, all year long, remembering that without Him we would be nothing. Let us eagerly await and pray for His return, always keeping it in view. And may we accept His work in our lives, allowing the Potter to mold us so that daily we become a little more like Him.

Father, please help us to keep this reminder in view and to live more like You each day. Thank You for the great and incomparable love that compelled You to send Your only Son to save us and bring us into fellowship with You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said..."Oh, righteous Father! The world has not known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." ~ John 17:1a, 25-26 ~