Carols: A Christmas DevotionalSample

Silent Night

Glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah!
Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!


When I was a child, we were poor. We rarely bought anything other than necessities throughout the year. About two months before Christmas, my parents asked me to write a list of all the things I wanted. I would pour through catalogs, go to stores (this was before the internet and cyber-browsing), and dream about all the things I could possibly enjoy for the coming year. After my list was complete, I anxiously anticipated the gifts that would appear under the tree. The waiting felt like years, but it was worth it. Christmas morning was the best day! I spent the rest of the year enjoying my new toys!

God’s children, for hundreds of years, had anticipated the arrival of their Savior. Parents told their children of the coming King: the one who would save them all. Their kids told their kids. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the One they had heard about. The arrival of Jesus, their Savior, was a holy night. The heavens rejoiced. Angels sang. Shepherds quaked at the sight. At Christmas, we remember this day that heaven came to earth! The day God fulfilled His promise! The day God became man to redeem his children from a broken world. Your savior is here. He is present! You don’t have to anticipate something you already have. Celebrate. Enjoy the gift you have received!

Question:

In what areas of your life are you waiting and anticipating God’s presence?