“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2
Music plays a big role in Christmas, which it has for centuries. If you look past all the songs about the winter weather, seasonal sentiments, magic-talking ice sculptures, and gift-bearing bishops, you’ll find a large collection of songs about Jesus, born on Christmas Day.
The best Christmas carols tell the story of how Jesus was born and why he was born … to be our salvation. And while the birth of Jesus truly gives us little to fear, in the days of Isaiah, there were valid reasons to be afraid of God coming into the world. His chosen people hadn’t really been faithful and God would have been justified in coming in “power for punishment,” rather than coming in “humility for salvation.”
But God assures us that He comes for our salvation. Even in our weakest moments, we need not fear because God is our strength and our song. As you sing the songs of Advent and Christmas, remember that God arranged the coming of Jesus to bring us salvation through Him.
“Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, The Savior promised long; Let every heart prepare a throne, And every voice a song” (The Lutheran Hymnal #66, v. 1).
Prayer: Dear Lord God, we praise and thank You for fulfilling the promises of Your Holy Word in sending Your Son, Jesus, to redeem us from all our sins. Amen.
© 2006 Lutheran Hour Ministries
These devotions have been written by Rev. Paul and Kaye Wolff. Rev. Paul Wolff is a 1996 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He has served as a pastor in the Detroit area for 10 years. He and co-author wife, Kaye, live in Southfield, Michigan.
Kaye Dumas Wolff is Chairperson of the Black Ministry Church Planting Task Force and a Mission Affiliate of LCMS World Missions where she serves as a training facilitator for laity in evangelism and mission work. Kaye serves on the Advisory Council of the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and she is a presenter for Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Equipping to Share Workshop.
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Today's Bible Readings: Esther 9-10 Revelation 14
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