During our churchs Christmas celebration, I watched the choir members assemble in front of the congregation while the music director rifled through papers on a slim black stand. The instruments began, and the singers launched into a well-known song that started with these words: Come, now is the time to worship.
Although I expected to hear a time-honored Christmas carol, I smiled at the appropriate choice of music. Earlier that week I had been reading Lukes account of Jesus birth, and I noticed that the first Christmas lacked our modern-day parties, gifts, and feastingbut it did include worship.
After the angel announced Jesus birth to some wide-eyed shepherds, a chorus of angels began praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest! (Luke 2:13-14). The shepherds responded by running to Bethlehem where they found the newborn King lying in a barnyard bassinet. They returned to their fields glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen (v.20). Coming face to face with the Son inspired the shepherds to worship the Father.
Today, consider your response to Jesus arrival on earth. Is there room for worship in your heart on this day that celebrates His birth?
Thank you for the sustenance for body and soul.