"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:76-79 ESV)
I enjoyed this morning that the Lord Jesus was the sunrise that dawned upon the world. The world sat in darkness and death loomed so close as to cast its shadow upon it. Except for this Great Light we would still dwell in deep darkness. There would be no morning for us, no warmth, no life - only "a darkness to be felt." Not one looked for Light, not one recognized their own darkness. Yet, "because of the tender mercy of our God", the Light of the World spread His glow from the east to the west. The Warmth of God has "shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." The feet that were "swift to shed blood" have been guided by the Light "into the way of peace."
"A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!"
What a holy night it must have been when into the darkness came the holy Son of God.
"He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." (Luke 1:49 ESV)
