Glory

Please don't miss the You Tube video "Glory in the Highest" by Chris Tomlin also posted today.  You could even hit the home button at the top of the page and listen to it while you read Luke Chapter 2:1-20.

Luke Chapter 2 is the Christmas story we have read for years with our children every Christmas morning.  I never tire of hearing it and am always brought to tears when I think of the King of Glory giving up His heavenly crown to come down here to earth for me.  Now I know I'm not special...but He thinks I am!  This is the great dichotomy of the Kingdom of God.  All my righteousness is but filthy rags and yet He, the Lord of all creation, cares about me, so much so that He was willing to suffer and die that I might live.  He has done this for you, too.  He cares about you.  He loves you.  No matter what you've done or where you've been, what you've been through or who you've hurt, He came to give you a new and different life.  He came to seek and save that which was lost.  "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10 (KJV)

 Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus
 ¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.  ⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

 ⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  ¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
 ¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
 ¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."  1 Chronicles 16:8-10 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  Thank you that You love us so much that You were willing to send Your precious Son, Jesus, so that we might have everlasting life.  Let our lives bring You glory.

Artwork courtesy of Photobucket.com.