O Holy Night Devotional

O Come All Ye Faithful has forever been one of my favorite Christmas songs! While every self-respecting musician has recorded their own rendition, I wanted to know the origins of the earliest hymn. It was written in Latin by John Francis Wade, a music copyist, and later adapted to English by Frederick Oakeley, an Anglican minister. Oakeley's first attempt at an English title was, “Ye Faithful, Approach Ye.” While the original title didn't stick around, the word “approach” stuck with me. It's a word full of invitation and desire. It's a request for our presence. It says, “Come near.” And it's a reminder that God is not far off. He is not distant or hiding himself from us. And that is the story and miracle of Christmas. “And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.'” Luke 2:10-11 After four hundred years of silence, hope of our redemption was birthed once more—“word of the Father now in flesh appearing.” Jesus came from Heaven to Earth to close the gap between God and man, to pay the price for our sin so that we might approach His throne of grace with confidence because He knows it's at His throne that we “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The invitation for us today is to come adore the one who bought our healing, our wholeness, and our peace with God. Come, encounter the compassion, comfort, and kindness of our Savior. Come, approach with our heartache and our brokenness, with our wounds and our scars. Come, joyful and triumphant for our victor over sin, hurt, and pain has arrived! Based on the song O Come All Ye Faithful (His Name Shall Be) by Kristian Stanfill, JD Myers. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 When I was a kid all I really understood about Christmas was that Jesus was born, and I got presents. (To be honest, the presents were the lead story. I was a kid, and I lived for Nerf guns.) However, as the years went on, the true story and weight of Christmas began to come into focus. What I didn't fully understand as a kid was that the world had been waiting on God who had been silent for 400 years. When Jesus was born it was the WORD made flesh that the world had been longing for God to speak for centuries. Hope was living, and it was breaking through the silence at last. These days there isn't much silence to be found, but even still, God wants to break through whatever chaos and crazy that surrounds you today, with a necessary and needed interruption. Now, more than ever, we need to be reminded of God's heart and love for us. We need to be reminded that we are not forgotten or insignificant. We are secure in His love and purposed to bring His glory to Earth wherever we are. We need this interruption to remember the unthinkable step that Jesus took from the highest heavens to the lowly manger, then to the sinner's cross, and ultimately up out of the grave, so we could taste freedom and live for what matters most. Christmas carries an invitation: “Child, come as you are…” Come if you're broken; Come if you're searching; Come if you need healing; He's where you find it; Lay down your burden; Breathe in forgiveness; If you need freedom; He's where you find it. The world is full of unknowns, and the days are loud. Let Jesus break through the uncertainty and noise and take Him up on His invitation today. He is close and He is calling, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28 NIV). This is where our hope is found: in the name above all names, Jesus. Based on the song Hope Has A Name by Kristian Stanfill, Jacob Sooter, Sean Curran. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.

Jesus is the embodiment of God's grace toward us. He is the real life, God-in-flesh, full-on expression of God's love and heart to save and rescue His children. He is the living evidence that God would move Heaven and Earth to not only meet us in our brokenness but also make a way to lead us out into life everlasting. What makes this truth all the more amazing is that Jesus, who was born in a manger, is now and always has been enthroned above all eternity. When our King spoke the word “light,” there was light. He is the holy eternal King, sovereign over all. Throughout the story of Scripture, God has been telling us that our Savior King would come to rescue us from our sin and shame. The prophet Isaiah says that our King is a “Wonderful Counselor” and a “Mighty God.” He says our King has come to establish a kingdom that is greater than any government on the face of the earth. Justice and peace will reign true in this kingdom of God. When the eyes of our hearts get even a glimpse to see that our majestic King Jesus was born to forgive the sins of mankind, we can't help but sing “Glory to God” forever and ever. Based on the song Grace Of God With Us by Ben Fielding, Brett Younker, Aodhan King. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:6-8 Christmas is the greatest miracle the world has ever seen. The very Creator who spoke the world into existence humbling Himself, stepping down out of Heaven, taking on flesh, and becoming like you and me. It is unthinkable that the King of all kings, enthroned in Glory, would come to our broken world to make us whole. He did this to save us and show us the way back to the Father. Up to this point, there had already been an incredible display of Heaven's power and miraculous breakthrough in the story of God—but nothing like this. “Here and now Light in the darkness Here and now Hope for the hopeless Emmanuel” In this Christmas season, take time to remember this miracle of miracles—this hope that now lives forever. Take time to slow down and feel the gravity of what Jesus has done and what it means for you and your life. A miracle is possible for you. Hope is available to you. He proved He is for us, and now nothing can stand against us. The King has come to dwell with us! Jesus, I welcome the miraculous power of Your presence into my life this season. Fill me again with wonder and awe at Your coming. I want to rejoice in the hope that Christmas holds. I praise You today for crossing the distance to rescue my heart. I surrender to you again. I love You. Amen. Based on the song The King Has Come by Jeff Pardo, Kristian Stanfill Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.

The Christmas story is a beautiful invitation. It's an invitation for all to come and see the love of God for people. When Jesus came from heaven to earth, a miracle happened that day. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. God became like one of us! The Creator stepped into creation. He stepped into the darkness and brokenness of the world so we could experience the light and life of God for ourselves. The night Jesus was born, the heavenly hosts went to the outskirts of town to let a group of shepherds know “a Savior has been born.” The angels marveled that Christ had come to rescue and redeem, and they lit up the skies with the thunderous praise of God. That night an invitation went out: go into Bethlehem to see the One who will bring peace to the whole earth. That same invitation has gone out to you. There is One who can bring peace to your soul. He came so you would not have to wander around blinded by sin and shame. He came to give you life and life to the full. In response to this invitation, we can bring our hearts and our lives as an offering to the newborn King. We can join the song of heaven. We can bring our highest hallelujah, our most sincere praise. Because Jesus brought heaven to us, we can bring our worship to Him. Based on the song Highest Hallelujah by Matt Maher, Jacob Sooter, Brett Younker, Stefan Cashwell. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.

With eager anticipation I look forward to Christmas all year long. I am convinced I was made for decking the halls and trolling the yuletide carol, for baking gingerbread cookies, and for drinking hot cider! I take extra care in making sure every present is wrapped with the utmost love and beauty. I live for sleigh bells and sugar plums, trimmings and togetherness, mistletoe, and a manger. Year after year, I cut down my tree (or purchase it from Home Depot) and decorate with all my glowing finery! But have you ever slowed to consider the traditions of the season? Are they merely that: traditions? Or could they possibly be sacred rhythms? As we decorate and celebrate, could we be marking the moment Heaven stepped into our world? As we trim the tree and bake cookies, could we be agreeing God has gifted us the Prince of Peace? As we sing of chestnuts roasting on an open fire and rockin' around the Christmas tree, could we actually be rehearsing our coming joy? The joy when one day we will sing and dance and praise our Savior, not around a tree but around His throne! Maybe, it's not really about the traditions, the decorating, and the celebrations. Perhaps, these cherished times have been more about pointing us to an invitation to receive our infant King. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) So, what then is there for us to do? We recognize these traditions as invitations to the holiness and presence of God in this season. We celebrate Love incarnate! We prepare our hearts and our homes for the coming of Emmanuel, God with us! For “the Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes…” (John 1:14 MSG) Eugene Peterson says simply, “Our task now is to be present to the One who is present to us.” This year more than ever, before we pray, we will hear God speaking in the holy hush, “Don't rush. This is holy ground.” Based on the song Hush by Kirby Kaple, Melodie Malone. Original post by Passion Music available on YouVersion based on the album - Hope Has A Name by Passion.