Christmas Worship

While it is possible to offer worship to God when we are absolutely alone, there is also something uniquely powerful about sharing the moment with others who gather with a similar purpose.  When we worship with the congregation of God's people, we participate in a shared experience that transcends our own finiteness as well the as boundaries of space and time.  Transcendent moments are rare in this secular culture of ours where the mysterious and unexplainable have no place. 

 

Christmas is now encroaching on this season of Advent and within the moment are powerful gatherings where the Word is read and the hymns about the Christ-event are sung.  No matter how many times we have heard those Words from Luke and sung those old songs about what God has done through Christ, it is a moment of eager anticipation and fresh excitement.  It is not only true that we are able to look around and see others who are worshipping with us, but it is equally true that we are sharing in a moment of worship which connects us to those who have worshipped before us throughout every generation since Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

 

How many times have the people of God gathered around images of the manger to worship the One born among us?  How many times has "Silent Night' and "Joy to the World"  filled a room filled with those whose hearts are full of faith?  How many people have stood in places such as those places where we stand in awe and wonder?  Ah, we are not the first to worship this Holy Child.  We stand and kneel midst a great and long stream of faithful followers.  We walk a worn road and we are now putting new footprints on that road for the generations which are still to be born to sing of the Messiah's birth.  What a joy it is to worship with those who stand beside us and those who listen and sing and worship from the very throne room of Heaven.