“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6a)
Heavenly Father I give You much thanks for all of Your gifts of love. However, none can match the Greatest Gift of all, when You emptied heaven, and gave us The Gift that removed the Sword of Damocles from over our heads, that we could enjoy life, and life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Thank You Father, in the name of Jesus Christ the most Precious Gift of All! Amen!
Fourteen years ago (December 25, 2007), I posted a devotional on this very topic, and the following year (2008) repeated the same devotional, verbatim. Today, being ten days before Christmas, I am using the same text, but the thoughts expressed, will be somewhat different. Life happens, and our experiences change and shape us mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, through “growing pains,” and “unexpected joys,” which come as the result of mountain top, and deep valley, experiences, and prove to us, that “the God on the mountain is still God in the valley” (Bill and Gloria Gaither). And He is working all things “together for good, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)!
Today, let us concentrate on the phrase, “And the government will be upon His shoulder.” And I say, “Thank You Jesus!” for that consolation.
I am almost sure, that every leader of a nation enters his, or her role, with good intentions to make of their government, the best government it can possibly be. Sad to say, no matter how carefully they select the people who will work with them to make their dream a reality, sooner or later, they seem to lose their focus, whether as individuals, or, as a whole, and their leadership dwindles, and so does their government. Therefore, no government that rests upon human shoulders is eternal, with the exception of the government of The Man Christ Jesus! Listen to what is said of His kingdom,
“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13, 14, emphasis supplied).
When Jesus came to our fallen planet and took upon Himself our fallen nature, He created a new kind of human being. His putting on our sinful flesh, transformed it into a flesh that can be re-created in the image and likeness of God! I wanted to quote C. S. Lewis on the topic of the Incarnation, but I could not find it. Therefore, I submitted my understanding of this thought on the Incarnation, for your consideration.
As we continue talking about the Gift of Heaven to a fallen race, may our hearts rejoice, when we think about the Babe of Bthlehem, who became the Man on a hill called Mount Calvary; now interceding as our High Priest in heaven, and will one day return, as King of kings, and Lord of lords, to take us home! That is why He is The Reason for the Season! Let us include Him in every phase of our celebration!
Our conversation will continue.