daily devo: "THIS IS GOD’S DAY"
Rev. Reuben K. Youngdahl, grandfather to Eric Youngdahl and Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church from 1938-1968, was widely known and respected for his pastoral leadership and his uplifting messages of God's love. These messages were published into devotional books so that people might find hope in the promises found in Jesus Christ.
One of his many books was titled, "Going God’s Way.” Pastor Youngdahl issues the challenge for people to go ahead and live today in the faithfulness of God. In his words: “Live each day by itself. Begin and end each one in communion with God. Life’s meaning will be made clear, and its challenge will summon you to follow the way of the Lord, and claim the triumphant life He is able to give you.”
July 12
When Christ Appears, Darkness Disappears
“The night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” -Romans 13.12
Jesus came to earth in circumstances best fitting Him to be the Savior of man. Brought up in the small village of Nazareth, His life was humble and filled with honest toil. It was fitting preparation for His brief ministry. It enabled Him to become the friend of all men, and especially of the poor and suffering. The time of His birth was symbolic, since the 25th of December occurs when the longest night of the year has passed and the days have begun to lengthen. Whenever He comes into a life, the darkness disperses. He is the great light of life, casting brilliance into every human heart open to Him.
When He came it was said of Him, “There was no place for them in the inn.” Too often in our hearts, in our business, crowds of wordly things are present, and there is no room for Jesus, no time to serve Him, no time for prayer and communion with Him. It is true that when He is present, worldly things are crowded out. But in another sense, Jesus does not “take up room”; rather He enlarges our sphere of living. Where He is there is room for all that is good. He transfigures, He blesses all things in His presence.
The coming of Jesus is living proof that there is a personal God, that He is our Father, that He loves us in spite of our sins, and that He cares for us. Jesus’ coming proves that God will exert all His infinite love and wisdom and power for our redemption from sin and our entering the kingdom of heaven.
Some years ago the late Horace Mann, eminent educator, delivered an address at a reformatory for boys. He remarked that, if only one boy was saved from ruin, it would pay for all the labor and care of establishing the institution. After the exercises had closed a man challenged Mr. Mann on this statement. The man said, “Did you not color that statement more than a little when you said that all expense and labor would be repaid if it saved only one boy?”
“Not if that boy were my boy,” was the solemn, convincing reply.
If you had been the only person in the world who needed saving, Christ still would have died for you.
TODAY’S THOUGHT: Before a single man had sinned, God had laid the plans for man’s salvation.
