True Worship, Our Best Gift
December 1, 2011 in Archive Blogs
The Holiday Season is here and it is so easy to get caught up and end up huffing, puffing and mostly aggravated. It’s not about the gifts, or whether it’s the correct historical date or whether there are pagan elements such as the tree, gift giving etc. That’s not the point. What is? you ask as you hustle and bustle along…the Holiday Highway.
Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Christ Jesus… Happy Birthday to You. Yeah, that is exactly what it’s all about. Merry “CHRIST”mas. You see the word CHRIST mass. A liturgical service to honor the Birth of Christ. It’s His Party and we are all invited. It’s the most important Birthday ever. The problem is that we’ve got a gift for Aunt Mary, Uncle Sam and those annoying inlaws…but what about the Guest of Honor? What does He want?
What do you give to someone who has everything and can create anything else He thinks of? Talk about difficult to buy for! 
So let’s be literal, as if He were a real person and take the time to ask Him. Just as I ask my nephews, “what do you want for your birthday?” and make every effort to give them what they are asking for, I have to ask Him, “Jesus what can I give you? What do you want for your Birthday?”
As I stop and listen quietly for a moment…the words of the angels that came to announce His birth are what I hear..
The Shepherds and the Angels Luke 2: 8-16 (NIV)
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christa the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Remember. First rediscover the “good news of great joy. ” TRUE WORSHIP!!! That’s what I hear. Go back to your first joy. It’s not gone. It has been battered, bruised, left for dead, but it is still there. In your heart, deep inside you the flame has not been extinguished. It’s not a new car, or a house, not new shoes or a fancy haircut. It’s Him. He is the the Good News. We have nothing to give Him. He is inviting us to His Party and He wants to give us gifts. All we have to do is show up.
So make this season, a special one. Take time to connect with your Creator. Jesus Christ loves and appreciates you. In the end that’s all that matters.
