Devotion • December 10
Today’s Hymn
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Reflection
God with us.
God’s appearance in the form of an infant is what we await with expectant hope during these dark days of winter. We picture a tender, mild, bouncing baby boy staring bright-eyed up at his jubilant mother, Mary, and adoring (step?) father, Joseph, under a blanket of stars in the midnight sky. Verse three of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” draws the image of the “Lord of might,” in what appears to be stark contrast. How are we to reconcile these strikingly different images?
Essence is what is “of essence” here, meaning that there is something essentially mighty and powerful about the figure of Jesus at every stage of his embodiment as the Son of God. Even as a baby, Jesus holds within himself the power of the “Lord of might,” overcoming all barriers and forms of estrangement to reconcile humankind, and all of creation, to God. This power is our greatest gift; it bears the same awe and majesty as revelation, as did the law when it was given to the Hebrews on Mount Siani — the law, which also testified to the power of God to unify humankind in right relationship to the divine.
We await the mighty power of God in this season, coming to us in the least likely of forms, in the time of the world’s greatest need. Our vision impeded by shadows of violence and bloodshed, bottomless greed, and bitter resentment, we need a mighty force that will propel us into paths of light. Perhaps the greatest source of awe is that it shall come to us in the form of such a dear little being.
Prayer
O Lord, we rejoice and give thanks as we live into the hope of a mighty power that bears all truth, love, and light to come to live among and within us. May your rescuing and reconciling power carry us to the foot of the manger to welcome the little one who bears your essence. Amen.
Written by Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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