Come, One and All and Gather Round

This post is inspired in part by Luke 2

 Light of the Stable-Selah

Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem -Jeremy Camp

  

Make Room

If covid has proven anything it's that we all need

the glad tidings of great joy/grace through Jesus!

We have been challenged and most of us likely disappointed

at times at responses and attitudes of our fellow-travelers

(in this journey of life) 

during the ongoing ripple-effects of this pandemic,

making the account of Jesus birth and childhood in Luke 2 

especially meaningful and vital this year!

Luke 2:10-11

And the angel said unto them, 

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 

which shall be to all people

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David 

a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

1 John 3:10

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 

that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Come, one and all and gather round

Love’s wonder to behold

Glad tidings of great joy abound

For people young and old

For Jesus, though the King of kings

Did not despise God’s call

Or flee Calvary's sufferings

To be Saviour of all

Come one and all and gather round

The manger where He lay

Jesus, not royal robed and crowned

But on a bed of hay

Come bow your head and shed a tear

Of both sorrow and joy

Behold Majesty’s meek veneer

In Mary’s Baby Boy

Come, one and all and gather near

Lest morrow is too late

The message of God’s love is clear

Destiny more than fate

For whoever believes in Him

Eternal life will gain

Death’s verdict without God is grim

And life, hopeless and vain

Come, one and all and gather round

To celebrate with joy

The hope for man, none can confound

And nothing can destroy

Come one and all, hail and adore

The Gift angels applaud

For this is more than ancient lore

This is the love/Son of God

© Janet Martin

Joy to the World- John Berry

This morning's Daily Bread Devotion

 includes this precious passage of scripture from

1 John 2:28-3:10

The Children of God

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, 

that [a]when He appears, we may have confidence 

and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 

29 If you know that He is righteous, 

you know that everyone who practices righteousness 

is born of Him.

The Command to Love

3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,

 that we should be called children of [b]God! 

Therefore the world does not know [c]us, 

because it did not know Him. 

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; 

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, 

but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, 

for we shall see Him as He is. 

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, 

and sin is lawlessness. 

5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, 

and in Him there is no sin. 

6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. 

Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. 

He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 

that He might destroy the works of the devil. 

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, 

for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, 

because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: 

Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, 

nor is he who does not love his brother.