Carl Manthey-Zorn's Christmas Day devotion

      Carl Manthey Zorn published a wonderful book of short devotions for every day of the year: Crumbs—Short Devotions for All Days of the Year Presented to the Christian People of German (now English) Tongue, (or Brosamlein: kurze Andachten für alle Tage des Jahres dem Christenvolke deutscher Zunge dargeboten. The following is his devotion for Christmas Day, now in English.  It takes only a few minutes to read:

First Christmas Day.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

This is the prophecy whose fulfillment Christianity celebrates today.

Joseph had received the news from God through an angel that his bride Mary was the virgin of whom Isaiah (7:14) had prophesied, and had taken her to himself at God's command. But this was in Nazareth in Galilee, and in Bethlehem in Judea, according to the prophecy of Micah (5:1), Christ was to be born. And so it came to pass at that time that a commandment went out from the ruler of the world, the emperor Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was the very first. And every man went to be appraised, every man to his own city. Then Joseph also arose, and went with Mary his trusted wife to Bethlehem, the city of David, because he was of the house and family of David. And when they were there, the time came for Mary to give birth. And she bare her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger: for they had no other place in the inn. (Luk. 2:1-7.)

Christians! To us this Child is born, to us this Son is given — to be our Savior. Poor He lay in the manger; but on His fine shoulder was the dominion of heaven and earth. Is this wonderful? Yes. This Child is Himself the "Wonderful One," for He is God, and He is man, and above nature He is conceived and born. This Child is the counsel, which by itself creates counsel for us lost and damned sinners, who neither know nor can create counsel. It is the powerful hero, the strong God, who crushes the head of the devil and redeems us. It is the Eternal Father for us, His redeemed; His blessed children we shall be here temporally and then there eternally. He is the Prince of Peace: whoever is in His kingdom has peace in his heart and conscience, until the eternal streams of peace without end end with Him. O Christians, Christians, grasp this Child in faith!

Prayer.

Lord God, heavenly Father, I thank you for your great grace and mercy, that you allowed your only begotten Son to come into our flesh and through Him graciously save us from sins and eternal death. I beseech thee, enlighten my heart by thy Holy Spirit, that I may be grateful to thee for such grace, that I may be comforted by it in all trouble and distress, and that I may thus be eternally saved through Him, my Saviour. Amen.

A little child as light as a feather Is born to us today Of a virgin pure and clean To comfort us poor people. If we had not had this child,

We would all be lost.  Salvation is for us all. O sweet Jesus Christ,  That you were born man.  Protect us from hell!