Devotion 15 December 2025
- St Johns Evangelist United Church
- Dec 15, 2025
- 2 min read
The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel – God with us. Isaiah 6: 14
READING: Psalm 80: 17-19 + Romans 1: 1-6
The question that arises from the two readings is, “Why did Jesus come?” When the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream, after he had discovered Mary was pregnant, he said, “You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1 : 21) This was in fulfillment of the prophecy made by Isaiah. When Jesus had a meal with the “unclean”, the religious leaders were critical of Him, but He replied, ”I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5 : 32.) In Romans 1 : 4. Paul says, Jesus Christ our Lord, was declared with power, through the Holy Spirit, to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. Paul says he, himself, received grace and the apostleship from Jesus, to call the Gentiles to obedience and faith in Him. Jesus came to end our alienation from God because of our sin. Nobody meets the requirements in our relationship with God. We all fall short, even someone like Mother Teresa. We cannot by our own abilities meet these requirements. We need Someone Else – God Himself. That is why God sent His only Son, Jesus, the Christ, to save us from our sins. We cannot even earn our right relationship with our heavenly Father, only through the power Jesus gives, through the Holy Spirit, can we get a little closer to God.
God spoke through the prophets and the people close to Jesus foretelling the coming of baby Jesus through the virgin birth. God is still speaking. Are we listening? God continues speaking to us through His Word, the Scriptures, through Ministers of the Word and fellow Christians and to some through visions and signs. God lives within us and can nudge us when making decisions. Praise the Lord He is still speaking to us!
Prayer
Master, speak! Thy servant heareth, longing for Thy gracious Word, longing for Thy voice that cheereth, Master let it now be heard. I am listening, Lord for Thee; what hast Thou to say to me?
Master, speak! And make me ready, when Thy voice is truly heard, with obedience glad and steady still to follow every word. I am listening, Lord, for Thee; Master, speak! O speak to me! Amen (SOF 386)
