Merry Christmas to all of my friends and family! I pray that your day will be filled with peace, joy, hope, laughter and time together. I read this devotion that I wrote in 2016, and the message is so powerful, so I’m sharing again! In all of the hustle and bustle, let’s not forget the real reason we can celebrate – God’s most gracious and precious gift to mankind — salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ!!
The Royal Crown Laid Down
December 24, 2016
Tonight as Pastor Patrick and his son Connor were singing “He Came All This Way” in our Christmas Eve service, the Lord gave me such a beautiful image of Christmas. The first verse of this song ends with “Then He laid down his royal crown”. Just picture Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father. On that night so long ago, God looks at the Son and nods, as if to say, “It’s time.” Jesus lifts Himself from the throne and then reaches up, grabs His royal crown, and removes it, laying it down, maybe on His throne or even beside it. Jesus knew before He got up where the next steps would lead. He knew that He would be born in a stable, a lowly estate, a far cry from royalty. He knew that He would be ridiculed and mocked. He knew that His own people would not recognize Him as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the World. He knew that one of his best friends would betray Him in the garden with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver. He knew that He would be beaten beyond recognition. He knew that He would suffer and die on the cross for sins that I, Michelle Fuller, would commit 2000+ years later. But yet….He stood in heaven that day and removed His crown to offer himself as the sacrifice for my sins and for yours. That was the greatest gift we could have been given — the gift of salvation, redemption back into the Father’s house. I’m so thankful that Christ was willing to lay down His crown, to take off His Kingly robe, and to come to earth as a babe, to sacrifice himself that I might be saved and redeemed into right fellowship with the Father. This Christmas, may we all stop and thank the precious Son of God for His gift to us! If you’ve never accepted this gift, take a moment right now to invite Him into your life!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)
Matthew 2:1-2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the King, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him.” (NKJV)
Acts 7:55 And he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into the heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (NKJV)
Revelation 19:12-13, 16 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written : King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (NKJV)
