December 17 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

The Prince of Peace, the Son of David, was announced by Isaiah. The story of his coming was proclaimed by the evangelists, each with a different emphasis. Jesus made God's kingship real in this world. Today, the kingdom is here—and it is coming.

Bible Reading:

John 1: 1–5, 14

Bible Text:

''In the beginning was the Word, and ... the Word was God.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:1, 14).

Devotional:

Matthew says that Jesus is the promised son of David and the promised seed of Abraham. Luke says that Jesus is the son of Adam through whom God came to save all humanity. But John's record goes beyond all human history.

John tells us that Jesus existed before he was born—before anyone was born. In the beginning was the Word. And in the fullness of time he became human.

The book of Genesis opens with these words: "In the beginning." That was our beginning. But at the time of our beginning, the One who made us was already in existence. "In the beginning God created."

And "in the beginning was the Word." By his Word God communicates light and life. The Word is not different from God, yet not the same either. The Word is the eternal Son, who is without beginning—just like God. For he is one with God.

As the Son of God, Jesus had no human history. When he was born, "the Word became flesh." He had a mother, for he grew in a womb like all of us. Joseph, son of David was his legal father. But Jesus was uniquely the Son of the heavenly Father. And he came to make all of us God's children.

This is the mystery we confess at the birth of this baby. He was the son of David and the Lord of David, the child of Abraham and the father of Abraham, Adam's offspring and Adam's creator. He is Son of God and son of a woman.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.