Advent Devotion: D.A. Carson

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9:6)

Before there was a universe,

Before a star or planet,

When time had still not yet begun —

I scarcely understand it

The eternal Word was with His God,

God’s very Self-Expression;

The eternal Word was God Himself —

And God had planned redemption.

The Word became our flesh and blood —

The stuff of His creation

The Word was God, the Word was flesh,

Astounding incarnation!

But when he came to visit us,

We did not recognize him.

Although we owed him everything

We haughtily despised him.

In days gone by God showed himself

In grace and truth to Moses;

But in the Word of God made flesh

Their climax he discloses.

For grace and truth in fullness came

And showed the Father’s glory

When Jesus donned our flesh and died:

This is the gospel story.

All who delighted in his name,

All those who did receive him,

All who by grace were born of God,

All who in truth believed him —

To them he gave a stunning right:

Becoming God’s dear children!

Here will I stay in grateful trust;

Here will I fix my vision.

Before there was a universe,

Before a star or planet,

When time had still not yet begun —

I scarcely understand it

The eternal Word was with his God,

God’s very Self-Expression;

The eternal Word was God himself —

And God had planned redemption.

(D.A. Carson)

Advent Devotion: Spurgeon

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

(John 1:14)

"Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son. Oh, the wonder of Christmas." 

(C.H. Spurgeon)

GENESIS 33: Devotion

Esau and his men arrived. Jacob bowed down but Esau ran to embrace him. Jacob offered gifts which Esau first refused. The two were reconciled then Esau accepted them. 

"The receiving of a present at the hands of another has always been regarded as a pledge of goodwill. None will receive a present from the hand of an enemy. The same principle underlies God’s dealings with us. He will receive no offering from His sinful creatures until they are reconciled to Him by faith in the Atonement of His Son. The Lord God will receive nothing from your hands until you have first received from His hands, the Savior."

(A.W. Pink)

GENESIS 32: Devotion

Jacob heard that Esau was coming to meet him. He was afraid and sent gifts. That night he wrestled with a Man who renamed him Israel.

"Sometimes we feel man really can contend with God. A man or woman in rebellion against God might seem to do pretty well. The match seems even in appearance only. God can turn the tide at any moment, and He allows the match to go on for His own purposes.

(David Guzik)

GENESIS 31: Devotion

The Lord told Jacob to return home. Jacob left in secret and Rachel took Laban's idols. Laban chased Jacob and accused him of stealing. Jacob rebukes him when Laban was unable to find them.

"The problem with many Christians is that they’ve never made that break with the world. They’re trying to get the best of both worlds, like Rachel heading for Canaan with her father’s idols. But that’s like having one foot on the dock and the other on a boat that’s leaving. You can only do that for a short while, and then you’re going to get wet." 

(Stephen J. Cole)

GENESIS 30: Devotion

Rachel's maid had sons for Jacob, then Leah's maid, then Leah herself had children. Finally Rachel had a son Joseph. Laban used Jacob's flocks as wages to stay.

This chapter is both disturbing and encouraging to me. That God is sovereign over the affairs of men and He is building a great nation despite the sins and short comings of His people. 

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."~God

(Isaiah 55:9)

GENESIS 29: Devotion

Jacob worked for Laban seven years to marry Rachel, but Laban switches Leah for Rachel on the wedding night. Laban made him work seven more for Rachel. 

"The Bible doesn’t give us a God at the top of a moral ladder saying, “Look at the people who have found God through their great performance and their moral record. Be like them!” Of course not! Instead, over and over again, the Bible gives us absolutely weak people who don’t seek the grace they need and who don’t deserve the grace they get. Yet, the grace keeps coming!"

(Tim Keller)