Saturday, December 29, 2018

Devotion

1Of the Father's love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore.

2Oh, that birth forever blessed,
when the virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race,
and the babe, the world's redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore.

3This is he whom seers in old time
chanted of with one accord,
whom the voices of the prophets
promised in their faithful word;
now he shines, the long-expected;
let creation praise its Lord
evermore and evermore.

4Let the heights of heav'n adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
pow'rs, dominions, bow before him
and extol our God and King;
let no tongue on earth be silent,
ev'ry voice in concert ring
evermore and evermore.

5Christ, to thee, with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
and unwearied praises be:
honor, glory, and dominion,
and eternal victory
evermore and evermore! Amen.

There are stories in other religions of gods taking human form for a time, but the story of Jesus is unique: it is of our God who lived a full human life from conception to birth, through childhood and adulthood — and even to the point of death.

How God came to us in human form is a divine mystery beautifully captured in this hymn. We don't understand it. We don't even comprehend fully what the word "begotten" means — it is so often defined by what it does not mean: We know that Jesus is not a creature created by God, but is "one substance with the Father." What we really need to know about the incarnation is only that Jesus was born out of love. It was out of love that Christ came to us that first Christmas. It was love that led him to the cross, and ultimately to the day of resurrection.