Worship the Christ of Christmas
Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. Luke 1:46-50 From the text, Mary expressed a spur-in-the-moment worshipful praise to God. This should be the readily response of a grateful child of God when brought in His presence. Once you come to know Christ as Lord and Savior, you begin to intimately sing to the Lord with deepest praise. During Mary’s pregnancy, she was overcome by the thought that a young ordinary woman as she was will experience the Lord’s favor and goodness. In response she sang one of the most beautiful and reflective songs of praise found in Scripture. A thankful heart will burst into praise. This is the purpose of every creation; to praise Him. When the disciples worshiped God publicly and expressed their praise to Jesus, the Pharisees asked Him to stop them for they believed that Jesus did not deserve to be praised. Jesus responded and said, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:14). Expressing praise will be the activity of those that made their decision to make Christ their Lord and Savior when they are gathered around His throne in heaven. “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased” (Revelation 4:11). As a child of God, you should never have difficulty thinking of reasons why God deserves your praise. You should find the joy on those moments that you are praising the Lord both privately and publicly in worship. Do not let the spirit of Christmas pass you by leaving you once again to put away shattered Christmas ornaments, dead tree branches, and broken hopes and dreams. If your life is not filled with praise, it may be that you have lost your appreciation for God’s generous activity in your life. Do not neglect the great salvation you received from God and do not forget what God has saved you from. Do not take for granted what it means to have the assurance of living for eternity with God because of your personal relationship with Him. Do not neglect the spiritual connection you have with other believers. Take this time of celebration because of His birth to recount the blessings He has poured out upon you and your family. Worship and praise are personal expressions of a grateful heart and wonder-filled life that has experienced a holy and loving God! As you continue to understand Christmas and appreciate the message more deeply, you will worship Christ more fully.
Blessings,
