"All those who came to the manger came with bowed knees,
humbled hearts, and exuberant praise!”
What if we let the Christmas story fill our hearts so that is changes the way we celebrate the season and live the rest of the year?
- Ruth Chow Simons
Maybe the weariness we feel during this time every year is a result of expectations that lean too much on the things of the season and not enough on Christ. We must prepare Him room."
Let’s take a look at 3 things that can rob us of a Worshipping Heart at Christmas. Three robbers that can undermine the lasting peace that Christ longs to bring to us this Christmas.
1. Our first robber can be physical, emotional and financial things. When we face physical challenges, emotional or financial turmoil we can know that He is always working behind the scenes. Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul.” He is promising to be our Shepherd, our Great Physician and Gentle Healer. He will send out an army of angels for you like he did Elisha in II Kings 6. He will send a burning bush like He did for Moses in Exodus 3… He will pursue you like He did Jonah, He will come into your darkness, your sorrow. He will steady the boat as He did for the disciples in Mark 4. He still closes lion’s mouths, He still parts the waters. He still makes straight the crooked. I want to share with you something Pastor Aaron shared last Sunday, “Let me reassure you that Jesus is in control. He is not indifferent, distant, cold or uncaring.”
2. Our second crook can be family relationships. Recently I was listening to Dr. Mike Bechtle on the Focus on the Family Broadcast, from his book titled, “It’s Better to Bite Your Tongue, Than to Have to Eat Your Words.” he shared, Ephesians 4:29 “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” This is your roadmap in your relationships this Christmas, your words.
There are many sorts of broken hearts, and Christ is good at healing them all.
-Charles Spurgeon
3. Our last looter can be sin or a broken relationship with God. Sin will interrupt your relationship with God. He makes a way for us to be forgiven by simple confessing our sin to Him and accepting His free gift of salvation. In John 1:9 it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Remember - these are things that can prevent us from having a peaceful, worshiping heart.
“A Worshiping Heart”
Let Ephesians 4:29 be your "GPS" system
to navigate relationships during the holidays.
Well we have a “GPS System” in us, so to speak that longs to praise and worship. Bob Kauflin in his book True Worshipers shares, “Everyone on this planet will be an extravagant worshiper of some kind, sacrificially spending themselves in a life of desire and devotion.
C.S. Lewis continues this thought in His book, “Reflections of the Psalms”, he writes, “The world rings with praise – readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, an audience a performance. Praise of weather, music, dishes, actors, cars, horses, colleges, countries, even sometimes politicians or scholars.” We were made to know and worship Christ our Savior. It is our response to His great love for us.”
Ruth Chow Simons shares, “When given God’s plan for her role in the incarnation of Christ, Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your Word.” Her heart readied her for a plan she didn’t fully understand; she simply trusted God, and that trust made room for all His plans to unfold in and through her…
The uncertainly and fear Joseph must have felt at the news of Mary’s pregnancy turned into assurance when the angel of the Lord revealed the divine fulfillment of God’s promise and plan. Joseph’s circumstances didn’t change; he simply trusted God to do the impossible.”
While Jesus’ birth served to relieve a hurting world, to bring hope to the hopeless, and to fulfill God’s promise of reconciliation, those who anticipated His birth responded first and foremost in WORSHIP. All those who came to the manger came with bowed knees, humbled hearts, and exuberant praise!”
Worship isn’t a response we muster up on our own, it is His love pouring forth! Let’s ready our hearts for all the Lord has for us and worship Him this Christmas season.
Joy to the World the Lord has Come!!