Jeremy and I like to read a special devotion during the weeks leading up to Christmas. We do something different each year. This year we picked a tiny little paperback called Joy to the World. You can literally read it all in two hours or so. It is a compilation of excerpts from Christmas sermons from Charles Spurgeon.
And now that Christmas is upon us I want to share with you one of the impactful truths from our devos this month. It’s a simple little detail I never noticed before and it comes from Day 1 of this book.
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15).
Right there at the start of your Bible is the first great promise of the Messiah. The “first gospel sermon that was ever delivered upon the surface of this earth.” And it was preached by God Himself right after humanity sinned but before we ever left Eden. In fact, this good news which would be for all the people, was proclaimed before God delivered any curses. Before the threat of painful childbirth and dysfunctional marriages and thistles and thorns and red-winged blackbirds.
(RWBs are probably not part of the curse but Pastor Jay and I think maybe).
Something about that timing really hit me this year. God promised Jesus, our great rescuer and the crusher of our enemy, before he delivered a speck of consequence for our sins. What does that tell you about the heart of God?
It tells me that He is always pursuing us. He is leaning into solutions before we even understand the problems. He brings us good news before the bad.
He’s compassionate and kind, first.
I don’t know what kind of Christmas season you’ve been having. If I’m honest, mine’s been meh. All the external pieces just aren’t coming together this year. I’ve tried lowering my expectations to practically zero, but even that’s not helping. My heart hasn’t been in it and that’s the bad news.
But oh the good news. The good news comes before the bad. And it outweighs the bad. And it outlasts the bad. The good news of Jesus, our Immanuel. He brings peace and reconciliation and mercy mild. He brings life and light and healing in His wings. He was born to die, born so we no longer die.
Oh sweet Father in Heaven, thank you. Thank you that Your priceless blessing precedes cursing. Thank you that your mercy triumphs over judgment. Thank you for the mysterious, unfathomable incarnation of the incomparable Son, promised from the beginning of the earth.
Glory to God in the highest.
