Merry Christmas! Bending Lowly Before the King of Kings
“Why was Jesus born in a manger?”
This question from my (Samuel’s) inquisitive daughter is a brilliant one, and the answer speaks volumes about the God whom we celebrate coming as a baby.
Celebrating the Humble Newborn King
An animal feeding trough is not where we’d expect God-incarnate to be placed after his birth. As the carol “O Holy Night” so wonderfully puts it, “The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger.”
Yet, there he was, visibly demonstrating his humility and powerfully revealing his purpose: to be the servant of servants and to give his life for the benefit of others. The message of Christmas is truly astounding.
As 2025 draws to a close, the team at the Canberra Declaration would like to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! May this period be particularly special as we celebrate the birth of the saviour.
We have recorded our short Christmas greeting to say thanks to you for your wonderful and incredible ongoing partnership with the Canberra Declaration and to wish you a very merry Christmas. Check out our short messages in the video below!
Jesus’ birth is celebrated at this time of year across much of the world. Like no other event in history, it has split the calendar in half. Every time we write the date, we reference Jesus’ entrance into the world.
Without Jesus’ birth, there would be no saviour from sin and no king who will one day rule the world from “his glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31). That’s how critical the events of around 2025 years ago are.
As our culture stops for a time of holidays, we pray that many Australians will, the first or thousandth time, “Behold your King; before him lowly bend!”
As the carol concludes on the humble baby born in Bethlehem:
“Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!”
Appeal for the Bondi Terrorist Attack Victims
Celebrate Israel, in partnership with the Canberra Declaration and other supporters, have organised a relief fund appeal for the victims and families of the Sydney Bondi Beach terrorist attack.
Our giving team is called Celebrate Israel Australia on the platform and is part of a much larger appeal run on the Charidy giving website. All donations are tax-deductible and will be administrated by the Jewish United Support Fund.
The relief fund will provide direct financial support, helping families begin to rebuild their lives after this tragedy. Assistance is especially needed to cover essential commitments when the family’s primary breadwinner has been killed. Find out more about this appeal on The Daily Declaration here.
Please stand alongside the Jewish community as a visible demonstration of God’s love to them at this critical time of need. So far, far, as of writing, over $17,000 has already been donated, and we prayerfully seeking to raise $100,000.
Please share this appeal button with your church networks and friends.
Give by clicking the green button below.
Yours for bending lowly before him,
Samuel & Leah Hartwich, Warwick & Alison Marsh, Kurt & Angie Mahlburg, Kym & Nel Farnik and Jean & Tasman Westbury
___
Image via Adobe.
Recent Articles:
14 July 2026
3.4 MINS
Riding a wave of viral success from high-profile debates, biblical scholar Wes Huff will teach a new eight-part course on the Historical Reliability of the Bible through Dr. Jordan Peterson's Academy. The course will cover topics from canon formation to archaeological data and the historical Jesus.
14 July 2026
3.9 MINS
The Greens are pushing an "anti-conversion practices" bill that goes further than anything we've seen in other states — and it should alarm every Australian Christian, parent, and, actually, everyone — not just Tasmanians. Please pray for Tasmania.
14 July 2026
3.7 MINS
Recent reporting — including statements from Israel’s new ambassador to Australia and a powerful press release from the Indigenous Friends of Israel — reveals a disturbing truth: antisemitism in Australia has surged. Australia is facing a moment of moral reckoning.
14 July 2026
3.3 MINS
While the world knew Bonnie Tyler as a global rock superstar, those closest to her remembered her as a woman of quiet but deep Christian faith who "never changed who she was." The Welsh vocalist died last week at age 75.
14 July 2026
7.3 MINS
Nation First looks into how the ABC and UN aid industry are exploiting child marriage to push a climate agenda, attract more taxpayer funding and shield the adults and customs responsible for child brides.
13 July 2026
5.6 MINS
Donald Trump has finally concluded that Iran's Islamist rulers cannot be reasoned with, exposing the harsh reality that some regimes are driven by ideology, not negotiation.
13 July 2026
3.3 MINS
Pastor Ezra Jin’s unexpected release from a Chinese prison reunites his family after years apart and renews hope for persecuted Christians still imprisoned under the CCP.
