Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: December 28th

MORNING

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4.

Nothing, good could be expected from us before Christ came; but now God expects everything from us, having given us His Son and all things with Him. He expects as much and no more than He has given us. The image and the nature of Jesus must be developed in us; we must be made like unto Him. To that end is He given to us. He who does not use Him thus, from him will be taken that which he has or which he seem to have. Jesus will imprint Himself or His image and nature in us; He will be born, and attain to the perfect man in us (Ephesians 4:13). Only the least number among men know whereunto Jesus is given, what He wants to be and what He can be to them. He who knows and comprehends this, cannot sufficiently admire God’s grace and love, but he strives to reach the goal and God’s admirable purpose. The Father loves His Son so dearly that He much desires to see His impress on all men, to see His image shine forth in them and from them. No man can be acceptable to God, or be acceptable to Him, in whom God does not see Jesus, His Son, His image and His nature. Do you know, my beloved, for what purpose you live and what your object in life is? It is high time that you receive Jesus in your heart, in your mind, and in your whole being. If not, He will be taken from you as the entrusted talent was taken from the slothful servant.

Oh, dearest Jesus, holy Child,

Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,

Within my heart, that it may be

A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

EVENING

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill. Psalms 113:7.

God’s only Begotten becomes the first-born of an humble virgin, lies in a stable, in a manger, wrapped in wretched swaddling-clothes. This is He who spreads out the heavens as a garment and contains the ocean and all the ends of the earth as in a bucket. What greatness! What humility! God’s Son in swaddling-clothes! We see here the will of God. Even though God as some say, has sent His Son into the world to serve as an example and a pattern only, come and see what an example lies in the manger. Come here and learn humility and meekness from this God-given pattern. Learn here to lay aside your pride, haughtiness, conceit, vainglory, your self-importance, and high-soaring thoughts and endeavors, and bring it all as a sacrifice to this Little One. The Creator of the heavens and the earth has barely room to be born in, and for your dense and broad pride the world is too narrow; you have nowhere room to spread out and to make yourself as important as you wash. Now let Jesus be your example! Become as small as He. Then you will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Try it, and you shall soon find that He will become infinitely more to you, that without Him you cannot even accomplish the least, that of becoming small, how then, should you become great? Begin by becoming small, like Jesus. Become insignificant in your own eyes, poor in spirit: then the poor little Child shall lay itself in your heart and lift you out of the dust and the dross and make you great. For what are your pride and lofty fancies but dust and dross? Away with it all! Go to the Christ-child. Consider Him rightly. Surrender yourself to Him. Then you will become something; otherwise you will never amount to anything.

Nor deem the form too lowly

That clothes Him at this hour;

For know ye what it hideth?

’Tis God’s almighty power.

Though now within the manger

So poor and weak He lies,

He is the Lord of all things.

He reigns above the skies.