Bullets for the Battle

Praise Gives Meaning to Christmas

"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy …” (Luke 6:23)

In the first part of this Christmas meditation I listed some of the sensations that make up our celebration of Christmas. You will be able to add many more that are meaningful to you to the list. Each of these can be an anchor, reminder or invitation to take part in the fullness of celebrating the birth of the Messiah. Let us consider a few expressions we might choose.

We find true meaning in the season when we praise God for His greatest Gift, Jesus. “In the fullness of time… God sent His son to redeem … and adopt … us” (Gal. 4:4-5). Meditating through the day on verses like these will focus you in praise.

Christmas joy increases when we join others in worship. One great family tradition is to attend a midnight service on Christmas Eve. The praise of the worshipers will truly make an impact on your mind, heart and emotions as you, your family and the congregation rejoice together at the incredible Good News of the Savior’s birth.

Another wonderful family tradition is to sit down together, read the Christmas story out of a new Bible translation and then ask each person to share one thing that impressed them from this old but ever new story. You can conclude with singing two or three Christmas carols and a prayer of thanksgiving and praise.

Finally, you can find some place to be alone, read Scripture and a devotional thought or two about the Incarnation and ask the Lord to make His first coming fresh and real to your heart. Ask Him for a new thought … perhaps this, “nothing could be stranger than God in a manger!” Halleluiah!

There are many opportunities to praise God in our Christmas celebrations. The only real limit is our imagination and our willingness to join the heavenly choir “…praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:13-14).

We at Ventures wish you a praise filled Christmas and a blessed New Year. Bullets for the Battle will take a break until early January. We look forward to being part of your devotional reading in 2008!