WHEN THE ANGELS SANG
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 heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ~ Luke 2:12-14
One of the things I love most about the Advent and Christmas season is the way the music feeds and blesses my soul. When I begin to hear Christmas carols and holiday tunes start playing on the radio or over the speakers in the mall, it actually does something in me. I get the warm fuzzies, and it puts me in the “mood’ of Christmas. And I’m pretty sure that this is not accidental. This is the way that it’s meant to be… ever since the first Christmas.
When the news of Jesus’s birth was given to the shepherds watching their flock at night, the angels burst into song! They gave praise and worship to God and music filled the air that first Christmas night! That’s where we get that time favored hymn, Hark the Herald Angels sing. Singing, praising, worshipping. This is really at the heart of Christmas. And this is what I really, really love.
But music alone cannot bring glory to God. The songs themselves cannot create the essence of worship. It’s the heart of the worshipper that has the capacity to bring forth true praise. And we can forget this all too easily.
Recently, our praise team joined the praise team of a newly formed church called EMBRACE to spend a day together in seeking the “true heart of worship”. Through intentional times of singing and learning and being equipped, we were all reminded of what it means to “be in the presence of Jesus.” If fact, that’s what Christmas is about. Jesus coming near. And us coming near to Jesus.
Christmas needs to involve more than just the music. Worship involves our true and full hearts… Christmas or at any other time of the year. I pray that this Advent season, you journey deeper into the heart of worship, and like our wonderful praise team and like when the angels sang from 2000 years ago, bring everything to Him. Indeed, it’s all about you, Jesus.
Wishing You Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Sun Hee
St. Paul United Methodist Church 