×

A Prayer of Praise for John’s Advent Account

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This was the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already givenJohn 1:14-16

Dear Lord Jesus, of all four gospel writers, I can understand why John’s account of your birth is least often chosen as the script for Christmas pageants. After all, what parts would the children play? There’s no manger, no Joseph and Mary, no shepherds, angels or wise men, lowing cattle or fleecy sheep. But certainly, there is you. You are the only star on the horizon in this nativity scene, and how you shine.

I praise you, Lord Jesus, for becoming flesh and “tabernacling” among us, at just the right time and for just the right amount of time. Though equal to, yet distinct from, the Father, you didn’t consider your glory something to be tightly grasped or held onto selfishly. Rather, you emptied yourself by becoming a man—but not just any ordinary man but a servant-man—the Servant of the Lord, the second Adam, and our Savior—my Savior. (Phil. 2:1-11; Isa. 53; 1 Cor. 15:45))

In your thirty-three years of incarnate life, you accomplished everything necessary for the redemption of the people for whom you lived and died; but also for the restoration of the world you created and love.

Be magnified, adored, regaled, worshiped, and loved, O Lord Jesus Christ. What a wonderful, merciful Savior you are! What a God, so mighty to save!

As we sing in Joy to the World, you are presently ruling the world with your grace and truth—the grace and truth of which you are full; and you’re making the nations prove the wonders of your love, as the gospel runs from heart to heart, nation to nation, —”far as the curse is found”.

From the fullness of your grace we keep receiving one blessing after another, and one blessing on top of another—grace in the place of grace already given, such as…

The blessing of your imputed righteousness and perpetual favor with God; the blessing of your constant intercession and compassionate advocacy; the blessing of heavenly citizenship and the hope of a completed salvation… Hail the incarnate deity, indeed! Joy to the world, the Lord has come, and is coming again. So very Amen I pray, in your most glorious and grace-full name

LOAD MORE
Loading