THE DEVOTIONAL PERIOD

White Ribbon, Volume 31, Issue 8, 1 December 1959, Page 3

THE DEVOTIONAL PERIOD

“Thou shall cal! His Name Jesus, for HE SHALL

SAVE HIS PEOPLE from their sins”. Matthew 1 :21

Bible Reading: Matthew 1, \ s. IN-25 Once more we have come to the Christmas Season, and as always our thoughts turn with tenderness and joy towards Bethlehem. This year I thought we might spend a little time thinking, not so much about the Babe of Bethlehem, but the Names by which He is called, for we arc told “there is no other Name under Heaven wherein we may be saved. . . .” The study of the Names applied to Christ in the Word of (iod is very illuminating. He ii called THE CHRIST (Matt 1:lei . . . the Messiah) and immediately we envision Him as the I‘roniised One, the Long-expected One, the Looked-for One; yet the tragedy of lbs first coining was that despite the Promise, the expectation and the looking-for. those to whom He came did not recognise Him “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. . . ” Let ns consider some of His other titles (a) The WORD OF GOD (John 1 :1. Rev 19:13). Tlu. expression of the Mind of (»od. <l>) WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR (Is 9:6) The storehouse of Eternal Wisdom (c) THE MIGHTY GOI> (Is 9:6) i he reservoir of sufficient Power (d) THE EVERLASTING LATHER (Is. 9:6 John 1 :!2) “To as many as received Him to them (i W E HE POW ER to become the sons of God ” In Him vve have New Birth; the beginning of New LIEE for “He that hath the Son HATH LIFE”. (e) THE PRINCE OF PEACE (Is. 9:6) In Him is the source of true rest. “Come unto Me and I will give you rest " Matt. 11 (f) THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer. 23:6) In Him is the secret of a re-adju>ted lifesanctified by the Holy Spirit through the power of a Risen Christ. “All our righteousness is as filthy rags” ... It is only as vve arc clothed upon in His Righteousness that we may stand before the judgement seat of God—justified hv His Blood (g) KING OF KINGS AND LORI) OF LORDS (Rev. 19:16) “Art Thou then a King "'" "Thou sayest . . .” It is only as He takes rule in our hearts that we shall know His Power in our live>. (h) EMMANUEL (Is. 7:14 and Matt.. 1:23) "God with us”. The symbol of abiding companionship. “Lo 1 am with you always . . .” It is possible that this is how we know Him best, and vve can have no more wonderful experience; no more joyous adventure, than to know the Christ of God, our companion on our daily walk. Those first disciples give us a wonderful picture of this in the story of the walk to Emmaeus, and we come again to worship at His Cradle, let us remember what His Coining has meant to the World; and the glory which He brings into lives which are yielded to Him. 4

Companionship with Christ is a HEARTWARMING EXPERIENCE (Luke 24:32) “Did not «»ur hearts burn within u> by the way . . .

asked those first disciples as they “rose up that same hour” to retrace their steps; to hasten back the way they had come; filled with vigour and enthusiasm; re-created; re* invigorated; rededicated. it was also AN ENLIGHTENING EX PI R!EN< E (Lake 24.27) “He began at the beginning to open up to them the Scriptures . . .

expounding unto them the tilings concerning Himself”.

So, also, it is only as Christ “opens up to us the Scriptures . . that we shall begin to understand “the things concerning Himself”. “Unto you it is given . . .” He said “to know the mysteries concerning the Kingdom," to you it is given “to become the sons of God; EVEN TO 'THEM THAT iiELIEVETH ON HIS NAME . . ” (John 1:12). Hal it doctat stop t!.«re, it i> \\ EXALTING LaPERIENCE (Luke 24 vs. 30-33) “He made as though he would go farther, BUT THEY CON* Si RAINED HIM and their eyes w*re opened VND STRAIGHTWAY they arose. r l© g>< back; back the way they had come; back to tell others; no longer depressed and defeated, but tireless and triumphant, for it was a COMPELLING EXPERIENCE. Fall recognition of Christ brings always the responsibility to go out and tell others. “We are constrained . . .” as St. Paul puts it. Has Christ's impact on your life had this effect upon you? on me? What a different place the world would be if it had, for the Name JESUS means Saviour. He is the One who came “to save His people from their sins”. This is the message of (lirist; it is the only message for a world undone. . . . “Sir, vve would SEE JESUS. . . .” “O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.” -DOROTHY HULME-MOIR, Bishopdale, Nelson. (I)om Devotional Supt.)