​13th Day of Advent, December 14, 2018

Now Is the Time
During one of my past year’s Christmas worship services, I watched the choir members assemble in front of the congregation as they sang a worship song, “Come, now is the time to worship.” The congregation expected to hear a traditional Christmas carol, but some people afterwards came up to me, and smiled and told me that they enjoyed the praise song. Earlier, I read Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, and I noticed that the first Christmas lacked our modern-day parties, gifts, and feasting-but it did include worship.
After the angel announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, a chorus of angels began praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven” (Luke 2:13-14).  The shepherds responded by running to Bethlehem where they found the newborn King lying in a manger. They returned to their fields “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (v.20). Coming face to face with the Son inspired the shepherds to worship the Father.
Today, consider your response to Jesus’ arrival on earth. Is there room for worship in your heart?    
          Heaven’s choir came down to sing when heaven’s King came down to save.
Tina Clark