Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
Know that the Lord is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
The Lord is good:
the Lord, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations. (Ps 100:1-5)
It is January 5th. That means that it is still the Christmas season. Most likely, long ago, the radio stations have packed up their Christmas songs, the stores have packed away any leftover Christmas merchandise, and the world has gotten on to “business as usual”.
For us Christians, “business as usual” should be singing joyfully to the Lord for the birth of His only-begotten Son. Jesus’ birth radically changed the world. It was a promise fulfilled and it meant salvation for the people. If that is not a good enough reason to sing joyfully, I do not know what it.
As we consider the birth of Jesus, we contemplate the great love that God has for us in that He would consider taking on our flesh and becoming one of us. Even though God made us, He loved us so much that He became one of us so that He could lead us, teach us, and, ultimately, die for us.
Our hearts should be burning with love for Him and spontaneous singing should burst forth from us. There is nothing more special than us. You and I, created in God’s own immortal image. Imagine that!
FAITH ACTION: Think of your favorite Christmas hymn. Now, do not just think about it, sing it, either to yourself or aloud. Sing joyfully to the Lord!