My Christmas reading includes Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.”  Herbert Brokerings, meditations on the poem “In the Bleak Midwinter” written by Christina Rossetti.  But my favorite is a section from Roland Bainton’s book, “Martin Luther Christmas Book,” in which Bainton compiled Luther’s writings around Christmas.

“Let us meditate upon the nativity just as we see it happening in our own babies.  I would not have you contemplate the deity of Christ, the majesty of Christ, but rather his flesh.  Look upon the Baby Jesus.  Divinity may terrify man.  Inexpressible majesty will crush him.  That is why Christ took on our humanity, save for sin, that he should not terrify us but rather with love and favor console and confirm.

Come to him, lying in the lap of the fairest and sweetest maid.  Trust him!  Trust him!  Here is the Child in whom  is salvation.  To me there is no greater consolation given to mankind than this, that Christ became a man, a child, a babe, playing in the lap and at the breasts of his most precious mother.  Now is overcome the power of sin, death, hell, conscience, and guilt, if you come to this gurgling Babe and believe that he is come, not to judge you, but to save.”