the Third Week after Easter
Click here to learn more!
Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
December 24—Morning—Galatians 4:4
"God sent forth his Son, made of a woman."—Galatians 4:4.
How little did Adam suppose, when he charged God foolishly, as by the way it may be observed all sinners do by this plan, in attempting to palm off his sin upon God, that the Lord in after ages would put distinguishing honour upon the woman, in which the man should bear no part. "The woman," said Adam, "whom thou gavest to be with me, she tempted me, and I did eat." Thus endeavouring to throw the whole blame of his transgression upon his gracious Benefactor. It is as if he had said, hadst thou not given me this woman, I should not have disobeyed thy command. Now observe, my soul, God’s benignity and grace upon this occasion. "The seed of the woman," said God, "shall bruise the serpent’s head." Not the seed of the man, but of the woman. And when the fulness of the time was come for this promise to be accomplished, "God sent forth his Son made of a woman," without the intervention of an human father, but by the miraculous impregnation only of the Holy Ghost, as if to honour the weaker vessel, and to open a source of peculiar comfort in the female breast. As if God had said, in answer to Adam’s daring impiety, though all the redeemed among men shall partake in this great salvation, yet the woman shall have in it an eminent token of divine favour. And as the accursed enemy of God and man did first beguile the woman; from the woman shall arise him that shall destroy the devil. The blessings of redemption shall begin with the woman, to her peculiar honour, and to the serpent’s everlasting shame. For he that in after ages shall do away more than all the evil of sin and the fall, by the sacrifice of himself, shall be born of a woman. And thus the Lord manifested forth his grace in silencing Adam’s unbecoming expostulation. Oh the wonderful way and method of our wonder-working God!
December 24—Evening—Luke 2:8
"Shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."—Luke 2:8.
My soul, think what a memorable night was that, which ushered in the wondrous day, the most momentous ever marked in the annals of time, since reckoning of days or years was made. The unconscious shepherds in the fields had no other thought but of their flock. But what a morning did the angels call them to celebrate! Now, my, soul, sit down and take a leisurely survey, of the wonderful story of Jesus’s birth. Mark the several volumes in it; for a night, yea, for a whole eternity must end before the subject of God incarnate can be exhausted in the meditation. Let thy evening thoughts on this, be followed by the night contemplation; and let thy midnight only be broken in upon, by the same call that the heavenly host gave to the shepherds. Arise but to sing as they sang, and to go in quest of Jesus, as they went. God and mall in one person, one Christ; and God in Christ coming for the purposes of salvation, will furnish out an hymn, which, though begun in life, will never end in eternity; "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men!"
