蜜豆直播

Saturday, December 25

Isaiah 52: 7鈥揑saiah 62: 6鈥�12; Psalm 97; Titus 3: 4鈥�7; Luke 2: 1鈥�20

鈥淭oday in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger鈥� (Luke 2: 11-12).

With these familiar words, we welcome the birth of Christ! Merry Christmas, everyone 鈥� may God bless you and your families on this holy day and on all the days to come!

蜜豆直播鈥檚 book of Advent devotionals is a wonderful annual collection of personal thoughts and reflections from across our campus community. For me, reading of Jesus鈥� birth from the Gospel of Luke inspires warm and happy memories from many past Christmases. I am reminded, in particular, of the large family Bible that Kim鈥檚 parents kept in their Raleigh home, prominently located by the front door and opened each December to Luke Chapter 2. Kim鈥檚 family had the tradition of taking turns each year reading the story, and I can still hear those words delivered in their special way by parents, siblings, and the grandchildren. I can鈥檛 help but chuckle when I recall trying to read about the birth of Jesus while my then-small children did their best to reconstruct the event. Happy times, indeed! That family Bible has now found its way to our Boiling Springs home, opened to the very same page, inspiring the very same joy.

I do hope that joy finds each of you today. I pray that the day brings you 鈥渞ebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit鈥� (Titus 3: 5) and that you busy yourselves making a lifetime of memories. 2021 has been another challenging year, but with God鈥檚 grace we have come through it. With God鈥檚 grace 鈥渢he distant shores rejoice,鈥� because 鈥渞ighteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne鈥� (Psalm 97: 1-2). We have triumphed, and we will continue to triumph, because 鈥渉e guards the lives of his faithful ones鈥� and because 鈥渓ight shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart鈥� (Psalm 97: 10-11).

Friends, thank you for authentically supporting the Christian mission of our University each and every day of the year. Thank you for being motivated in your actions by the prospect of helping mend a broken and divided world. It is a privilege to be part of a community that so outwardly embraces its faith and its identity. As we celebrate this Christmas Day and then move toward the New Year with optimism, we should boldly proclaim:

        Pass through, pass through the gates!

        Prepare the way for the people.

        Build up build up the highway!

        Remove the stones.

        Raise a banner for the nations (Isaiah 62: 10).

Let us trumpet the good news for all to hear! A Savior has been born! May the blessings of His birth and the wonder of this season fill your hearts and your homes with peace and love. Merry Christmas!

William M. Downs
President of 蜜豆直播 University