Psalm 89:28
One of the wonderful truths of Christ's birth is the certainty of God's covenant with us. For Christ is our covenant Head; and that covenant is the relationship of friendship God establishes between Himself and His chosen people.
Jesus was born in a stable, a place of abject poverty, fit only for cattle. But as Covenant Head He realized for us a house of many mansions where we may live with God in a glory which eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, and has never entered into the heart of man (I Cor. 2:9). This is possible only because God's Son came into our flesh as our Covenant Head.
Of this God spoke in Psalm 89:28 where we read: "My mercy will I keep for evermore, and My covenant shall stand fast with Him." This follows the statement concerning Jesus: "I will make Him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." That does refer to the birth of Christ which always but especially at this time of the year we celebrate. Let us sing (PRC Psalter):
For Him My mercy shall endure,
My covenant made with him is sure,
His throne and race I will maintain
Forever as the heavens remain.
The sad thing is that at this time of the year we are so cluttered up with worldly things and put Christ's birth out of mind; and this past Christmas, most likely, is not still of great importance to us.
For the world, Christmas is long gone; and now there is the grief of all those bills for the gifts that were purchased. But is there really a good reason why we still should not sing of His birth and talk about it?
If His birth did not take place, the cross could never have happened; and we would still be in our sins. Then as covenant breakers we could only expect the opposite of covenant blessedness. But now we can be absolutely sure that God's covenant and its promises stand. We have nothing to fear. And Christ's ascension to God's right hand is the assurance that we will enjoy covenant blessedness in God's house.
Read: Psalm 89:20-37
Psalter versification: #243:6
Daily Meditation on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #428
Why not sing along??
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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Zechariah 10 ; Zechariah 11:1-17
Revelation 18:1-24
Psalm 146:1-10
Proverbs 30:33
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Quote for Reflection:
“Worldliness is the lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction), the lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life), and the pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, what we have, and what we have done). Worldliness, then, is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature comfort to the point of idolatry; large salaries and comfortable life-styles become necessities of life. Worldliness is reading magazines about people who live hedonistic lives and spend too much money on themselves and wanting to be like them. But more importantly, worldliness is simply pride and selfishness in disguises. It’s being resentful when someone snubs us or patronizes us or shows off. It means smarting under every slight, challenging every word spoken against us, cringing when another is preferred before us. Worldliness is harboring grudges, nursing grievances, and wallowing in self-pity. These are the ways in which we are most like the world.” - D. Roper
Additional Info
- Date: 27-December
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.