Online Devotions: The Christmas Dragon

Sunday, December 11, 2016

The Christmas Dragon

December 11 (Revelation 12:3, 4)

I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. (ESV)

Does the nativity set under your tree come with a dragon? It should. We focus a lot on gentle Jesus, meek and mild, but we rarely acknowledge the dragon that showed up at His birth. We sing of the wise men and we talk of the shepherds keeping watch over the flocks that night, but the dragon is curiously absent from most of our Christmas stories, plays, and songs. Then again, we do remember, at least sometimes, the threat of King Herod, so perhaps we are at least faintly aware that something serious, something dangerous is connected with the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.

The birth of Jesus was both an earthly and a cosmic event, which stands to reason since He is both God and man. As a result, His birth was opposed in both realms, by Herod on earth and by Satan in the heavenly places. Make no mistake here. Satan is not a cute Disney dragon. He is the ancient serpent who deceived Adam and Eve and is the inspirer of abortion, genocide, racism, hatred, murder, lying, theft, abuse, and every evil we have ever experienced. And that is the beast that stood ready to devour the Christ child.

It is a king you have represented beneath your Christmas tree. It is a cosmic warrior who defeated death that is being portrayed by a plastic baby doll in the Christmas play. It is the incarnation of more power and love and grace and truth than our small minds can comprehend that Satan wished to kill from the beginning and who looks today into your eyes as He says, “That one is mine.”

O Lord, my God, You have my allegiance and my life. All that I am, all that I have, and all that I do is Yours. Today I ask for nothing, but give to You once again my everything. Amen.

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History of Online Devotions

In January of 1999, I began the Online Devotions with the teens of the church we were attending. Each week they would receive a verse of Scripture, a short reflection, and a prayer. Over the years others subscribed to this email list, and soon the Online Devotions were going out to people across the country and beyond.

In 2007 I published in book format a collection called Desert Days: Forty Devotions for Men.

After suggestions from several readers, I launched in 2010 the Online Devotions blog. Devotions are still available each week by email, and if you would like to subscribe, please indicate so in the comment box.

As I have always said, if one of these devotions touches you, you can be sure it was from God. If one leaves you flat, then there was too much of me in it.