December 25 / Christ our Consolation / Matt 1:23/ Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman

 December 25

Christ our Consolation

His name shall be called Emmanuel ... God with us. — Matt 1:23

The Prince of Peace — Isa 9:6

“There’s a song in the air!

There’s a star in the sky!

There’s a mother’s deep prayer,

And a baby’s low cry!

And the star rains its fire

While the beautiful sing,

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King.”

A few years ago a striking Christmas card was published, with the title, “If Christ had not come.” It was founded upon our Saviour’s words, “If I had not come.” The card represented a clergyman falling into a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream he found himself looking through his home, but there were no little stockings in the chimney corner, no Christmas bells or wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort, gladden and save. He walked out on the public street, but there was no church with its spire pointing to Heaven. He came back and sat down in his library, but every book about the Saviour had disappeared.

A ring at the door-bell, and a messenger asked him to visit a poor dying mother. He hastened with, the weeping child and as he reached the home he sat down and said, “I have something here that will comfort you.” He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended at Malachi, and there was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and he could only bow his head and weep with her in bitter despair.

Two days afterward he stood beside her coffin and conducted the funeral service, but there was no message of consolation, no word of a glorious resurrection, no open Heaven, but only “dust to dust, ashes to ashes,” and one long eternal farewell. He realized at length that “He had not come,” and burst into tears and bitter weeping in his sorrowful dream.

Suddenly he woke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing in his church close by:

“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels,

O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.”

Let us be glad and rejoice today, because “He has come.” And let us remember the annunciation of the angel, “Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10, 11).

“He comes to make His blessing flow,

Far as the curse is found.”

May our hearts go out to the people in heathen lands who have no blessed Christmas day. “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and SEND PORTIONS TO THEM FOR WHOM NOTHING IS PREPARED.” (Neh. 8:10).

12월 25일 마태복음 1:23 보라 처녀가 잉태하여 아들을 낳을 것이요 그의 이름은 임마누엘이라 하리라 하셨으니 이를 번역한즉 하나님이 우리와 함께 계시다 함이라

이사야 9:6 이는 한 아기가 우리에게 났고 한 아들을 우리에게 주신 바 되었는데 그의 어깨에는 정사를 메었고 그의 이름은 기묘자라, 모사라, 전능하신 하나님이라, 영존하시는 아버지라, 평강의 왕이라 할 것임이라

공중에 노래!

하늘에 별!

어머니의 깊은 기도와

아기의 낮은 울음소리!

별은 빛나고

노래는 아름답다.

베들레헴의 구유에 왕이 누우셨으니,

여러 해 전에 아주 특이한 성탄 카드가 나온 적이 있습니다. “그리스도가 오시지 않았다면”이라는 제목을 달고 있었는데, 이는 요한복음 15장 22절에 기록된 우리 구주의 말씀을 근거로 한 것이었습니다. 그리고 그 제목과 연관해서, 성탄절 아침에 서재에서 잠들어 예수가 오지 않은 세상을 꿈속에서 겪는 한 성직자의 모습이 그려져 있었습니다.

꿈속에서 그는 집안 곳곳을 돌아다녔는데, 굴뚝에 양말도 걸려 있지 않고 성탄 나무와 장식도 보이지 않았으며, 우리 마음을 위로하고 기쁘게 해 주실 그리스도 역시 없었습니다. 그래서 바깥 큰길로 나가 보았습니다. 하지만 하늘 향해 첨탑을 세우고 있어야 할 교회는 보이지 않았습니다. 다시 서재로 돌아와 앉고 보니, 이번에는 우리 구주에 관한 책이 모조리 사라지고 없는 것이었습니다. 역시 꿈속에서 심부름꾼이 와 소식을 알립니다. 친구의 불쌍한 어머니가 죽어 가고 있다고 했습니다. 그는 즉시 친구의 집으로 가 함께 앉아 울며, 위로의 말씀이 있으니 찾아서 읽자고 했습니다. 그는 성경을 펴서 늘 보던 약속의 말씀을 찾으려 했지만, 성경은 말라기에서 끝나고 없었습니다. 복음도 없었고 희망과 구원의 약속도 없었습니다. 그는 고개를 들지 못하고 친구와 함께, 말할 수 없이 절망한 그 어머니와 함께 울어야 할 뿐 달리 해볼 수 있는 일이 없었습니다. 이틀 후에 그는 친구 어머니의 관 옆에 서서 장례식을 집전했습니다. 당연히 위로의 말씀도 영광스러운 부활의 언급도 없었고, 하늘에 마련된 죽은 이의 집도 생각할 수 없었습니다. "너는 흙이니 흙으로 돌아갈 것이니라" 하는 말씀과 단 한 번의 길고도 영원한 이별이 있을 뿐이었습니다. 결국 그는 그리스도께서 오시지 않았음을 깨닫고 눈물을 쏟으며 비통하게 울었습니다. 거기서 퍼뜩 잠이 깬 그는 기뻐 소리치며 찬양했습니다. 자신의 교회 찬양대가 이와 같은 노래를 부르고 있었던 것입니다.

참 반가운 신도여, 다 이리 와서

베들레헴 성내에 가 봅시다.

저 구유에 누이신 아기를 보고 엎드려 절하세.

엎드려 절하세, 구세주 났네.

그분께서 오셨으니 오늘 기뻐하며, 천사들의 선언을 되새깁시다. "내가 온 백성에게 미칠 큰 기쁨의 좋은 소식을 너희에게 전하노라. 오늘 다윗의 동네에 너희를 위하여 구주가 나셨으니 곧 그리스도 주시니라" (눅 2:10-11).

그분께서 당신의 축복 흐르게 하시려 오셨는데,

그 축복, 저주가 가는 먼 데까지 갑니다.

성탄절이 없는 먼 이국땅의 백성에게로 우리의 가슴이 향했으면 좋겠습니다. "너희는 가서 살진 것을 먹고 단것을 마시되 준비하지 못한 자에게는 나누어 주라. 이날은 우리 주의 성일이니" (느 8:10) ​