Christmas Worship

“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20

Worship. That was the response the shepherds had when they found the Promised King. That tiny baby wrapped in rags, lying in a manger evoked awe. God had fulfilled His promise. The Savior was born. Redemption was near. How could they not worship?

When you truly experience Christmas you want to glorify God and praise Him. Christmas is more than celebrating the birth of Jesus. It is celebrating the Jesus who was born. It is celebrating our God who always keeps His promises.

Tim Hughes is the Dove Award Winning songwriter who wrote the beautiful song, “Here I Am to Worship.” He said one of the greatest lessons on worship he ever learned was during a year he spent in South Africa working with kids at just 18 years of age. He was in a congregation called, “The Prince of Peace,” in Durban, South Africa, and he noticed there were no drums, no keyboards, no amps, and no musical instruments of any kind. They didn’t even have a sound system. As he looked at that, he thought to himself, “How on earth are we going to worship?”

He said a moment later that place was filled with beautiful melodies as those believers began to sing just out of the overflow of their hearts. He could not believe how rich and beautiful the worship was without any music whatsoever in a place where disease and poverty are rampant. He realized that nothing could rob these Christians of the joy they found in knowing Jesus. He said he learned a lesson that day and her is what he said, “Worship isn’t about music – it’s about Jesus.”

Christmas isn’t about trinkets, toys, or trees. It’s about Jesus. When you realize that you will experience Christmas and enjoy Christmas every day.

Dear Lord, I don't want to forget about the true meaning of this time of year. I pray that you would keep Jesus in the forefront of my mind during this season as we celebrate His birth. In Jesus' name, amen.