My dear friends, we live to-day upon the verge of that bright spot. The world has been passing through these clouds of darkness, and the light is gleaming on us now, like the glintings of the first rays of morning. We are coming to a brighter day, and “at evening time it shall be light.” The clouds and darkness shall be rolled up as a mantle that God needs no longer, and he shall appear in his glory, and his people shall rejoice with him. But you must mark, that all the brightness was the result of this child born, this son given, whose name is called Wonderful; and if we can discern any brightness in our own hearts, or in the world’s history, it can come from nowhere else, than from the one who is called “Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God.”

From the sermon, “His Name–Wonderful” (1858).

Prayer: Praise be to God that this wonderful Child, this Counselor, this Mighty God condescended to us in human flesh in order to make us more like Himself. Praise be to God that we do not merely celebrate this truth at Christmastime, but for all time and eternity. Dark clouds at times fill our skies, but Christ’s light breaks through. Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing us from our sin and brokenness!