By Pastor Steve Nickodemus
The Wait Is Almost Over!
You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
Galatians 4:4-5 English Standard Version
“We have been waiting so very long!” Such is the cry of children anticipating the coming of Christmas!
But the very same cry was echoed again and again for thousands of years, waiting for the coming of the Messiah. “When will he come? When will he save us?” Those lost in the darkness of sin, under the oppressive judgment of being unable to fulfill the law of God, earnestly sought a Savior. For when the Messiah would come, he would redeem or buy back his people, so that they might be restored to the Lord and be part of his forever family!
And then he came. Born of a woman, born under the law, born to experience the mortality of our flesh, born to be obedient to the Father, born to suffer our punishment, born to die upon a cross, risen from the dead to proclaim victory over all that oppressed us; sin, death, and the devil, risen to open the way to the Father, risen to be the Way to the Father!
And now the Messiah has come. And we live in the peace that only he can give, the forgiveness that only he can provide. And we still wait. Yes, for the celebration of Christmas, but even more so for the second coming of our Emmanuel, our God with us. Until that day, we, like the shepherds, proclaim the glory of the newborn King who came to set his people free!
O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado
