Born Again

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December 18, 2018

By Steve King

During this year’s Advent season, Mae Belle and I have begun each day with Visions of Christmas, a book of Renaissance nativity paintings, and Kneeling in Bethlehem by Ann Weems, a book of Advent poems. This daily reading, along with prayer together, has helped us experience the reality of Jesus Christ and what He has done for us.

A poem by Weems that especially ministered to me is “The Child is Born Again”:

Each year the child is born again.

Each year some new heart

finally hears

finally sees

finally knows love.

And in heaven

there is great rejoicing!

There is a festival of stars!

There is celebration among the angels!

For in the finding of one lost sheep,

the heart of the Shepherd is glad, and

Christmas has happened once more,

the Child is born anew

and one more knee is bowed!

Her allusions to: being born again by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:5-8), joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7), the one born in Bethlehem is our good Shepherd (John 10:11-18), and that every knee will one day bow before Him (Philippians 2:10-11) helped me anticipate God’s work among us this Advent season.

Pray for the worship services this coming Sunday and Christmas Eve, and bring a friend with you. May many more knees bow to the King of Kings!