Day 28
Saturday, December 24
Jessica Ross
It’s that time of year again! “Deck the Halls,” ring those “Jingle Bells” and get “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”!
There are many songs that make Christmas seem so shallow. I work as a hygienist in a dental office that has the radio on the. whole. day. When a traditional song gets snuck into the mix, I find myself smiling while cleaning my patients’ teeth. My radio favorite is “O Holy Night” and when the lyrics, “Christ is the Lord” are played, I experience this great joy in my heart that everyone in my office is hearing these words of truth too. In the midst of my work, I find myself truly worshiping.
After reading these passages I was struck by the themes of singing and worshiping. David praises God in Psalm 96:1, “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord all the earth.” In Luke, the angels were sent by God to bring the good news to the shepherds while they were working! Just like myself, the shepherds did not have a glamorous job, but somehow the glory of the Lord shone around them at the most unexpected time. Then the angel said to them, “…I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (2:9-10).
I love the end of Luke 2:20, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.” It must have been hard for those shepherds to return to work after they met Jesus in Bethlehem. Do not lose hope in waiting for the time when we will meet Jesus face to face. Until then, in the midst of whatever work you do this Christmas season, take a moment to worship Christ the Lord, who came for us all.
Jessica lives in Newton and loves to rollerblade!