Our Daily Bread: O Holy NightSample

Christmas Questions

A Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. -Luke 2:11 (NIV)

I grew up in the home of a hymn-singing grandmother, and I weekly attended Sunday school where we sang songs like, “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”, and, “We’re Marching to Zion.”

Yet, as an adult I am still discovering the breadth and depth of our Christian playlist—especially the songs we sing at Christmas time.

The nineteenth-century composition, “Who Is He in Yonder Stall?”, is particularly rich. Each verse poses a question about the identity of the One whom shepherds adored after He made His way into the world.

The angelic heralds were clear that the One who they would find in the stall (Luke 2:12) was the long-awaited, God-designated ruler. “The Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (v. 11).

His birth, however, was but part of a grander story. The verses of the song beautifully include snapshots from the life and ministry of Jesus: His death, resurrection, and coming glory. The chorus is a confession of belief in and worship of the One featured in the story: ’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story! ’Tis the Lord! the King of glory! At His feet we humbly fall, Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Arthur Jackson

At what point in your life have you bowed your knee in submission to Jesus, the One sent from the Father to secure our forgiveness through His death? If you haven’t believed and received Him, what keeps you from doing so today?

Today’s scripture reading is from the book of Luke, chapter 2, verses 8-14.

(Read today’s scripture.)

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father, thank You for so loving the world that You sent Your Son to live among us and die for us so we can have a relationship with You.