The Most Important Christmas
Choice
Tracie
Miles
"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the
armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven,
and
peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" Luke 2:13-14
(NLT)
Tis' the season to be merry... and stressed. Although
it
should be a season of peace, this month can often make us feel more tangled
up
inside than a messy string of Christmas lights.
Some people dread the hustle, bustle, and emotional
rustle
this time of year brings, knowing that irritability, loneliness, or
depression
will threaten. While there are others who may love the Christmas season, but
worry, busyness, family conflicts, and unmet expectations take their
toll.
In either case, we have a decision. We can choose to
get
bogged down with stress or we can choose to bow down in
worship.
Scripture gives us a beautiful picture of praise in
Luke
2:13-14. When Jesus was born, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds
sharing the good news. Then many other angels joined together and praised
God.
"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of
others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in
highest
heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'"
(NLT)
That's not the only place the Bible records angels
worshipping the Lord. In Hebrews 1:6 it says, "And
when
he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, 'Let all of God's
angels
worship him.'" (NLT) And Revelation 5:11-12a says, "Then I looked
again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the
throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty
chorus." (NLT)
Angels serve as role models of worship. They bow down
before Jesus. They shout with incredible joy as they sing songs of praise.
Through worship, angels spread the news of God's glory and exhibit holy
reverence. Angels intentionally and deliberately spend time praising
God.
Keeping Christ in Christmas is more than just a
cliché. It
is an intentional act of worship. It requires a heart of adoration, much
like
the angels had. When Jesus is the focus of our holiday, we're centered on
His
love, peace, and joy.
This prompts us to be His hands and feet to others in
need. When worship fills our hearts, it leaves little room for aggravation
in
long lines at the store. We focus on what Christmas is truly about—the
amazing
gift of a Savior—rather than stressing out over buying the perfect presents.
We
exhibit grace to someone when we'd rather do otherwise. Worship turns our
attention to giving thanks to Jesus for all He has done, rather than letting
stress strip His joy from our hearts.
And it might even mean joining in with the heavenly
chorus
to sing praises to Him, even if we can't carry a tune!
The holidays can bring a flurry of heightened emotions
and
can often result in an unhealthy level of stress which can prevent us from
engaging in worship and praising the One we are supposed to be
celebrating.
There will be lots of choices to be made during the
month
of December: where to serve, what gifts to buy, and how many events to
attend.
The most important choice we can make is to worship and sing praises to our
Lord. For His gift. For His love. For His peace.
And when our hearts are at peace, our holidays can be
too.
Lord, I choose to intentionally worship and praise You during
this
Christmas season. Help me stay focused on You and Your goodness.
Amen.
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