“To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:77–79, KJV)

Tucked away in Zachariah’s prophetic song (Luke 1:76–79) about his own son’s work as Messiah’s forerunner is this remarkable Old Testament messianic prophecy revealing the identity of the one whose name defined the thrilling meaning of the nature of Jesus’ incarnational work and presence.

Here in this one name we learn that God’s motive, which initiated His redemptive action in the believer’s life, is His deep and abiding tender mercy. This overflowing grace is the impetus which moved the Almighty to declare “Let there be light” so that the knowledge of the gospel would dawn upon our hearts and minds, providing forgiveness of sins and the banishment of darkness through the brilliance of the effulgence of glory in Christ our Savior. So that with the songwriter we might say, “once I was blind, but now I see. . . .” As the brightness of our solar day illumines our earthly sojourn, so does our Dayspring from on high banish the darkness of sin, bringing light and life to our dreary way. How amazing is God’s plan of redemption in that it includes not only the deliverance for every believer from the just condemnation for our sin but the very light of the person of Jesus Christ to illumine our dark lives.

In the winter of 1971, four Christian men launched a new venture entitling it the DaySpring Greeting Card Company, issuing its first card in time for the Christmas season. On the card’s cover appeared a picture of a despondent man near a Christmas tree amid opened gifts. The caption on the card simply stated; “When you get right down to it . . .” while inside the card were the words “The only thing that really matters is Jesus.”

This Christmas, amid the sparkling lights and ornamental stars, may our Dayspring from on high dawn afresh in homes.