What better time is there for us to be drawn into worship of Christ, than during the season we celebrate His birth? As one follows the account of all that led up to the birth of Jesus and the actual event itself in the books of Luke and Matthew, there is instance after instance of worship!

   (Luke 1:41- 42)  Once Mary had received God's message from the angel Gabriel, telling her of God's choosing her to bear the Messiah, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was with child with John the Baptist.  The scripture says, "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!    "Blessed is the fruit of your womb," the Bible says. The fruit of her womb was Jesus. So, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth was saying, "Blessed is Jesus!" That is worship. Elizabeth's baby, who was John the Baptist, leaped in her womb as Mary approached! The word leaped means "leaped for joy"! That, too, is worship. John the Baptist, from within his mother's womb was praising the Messiah, as He came into their presence! Hallelujah!

   In verse 45, Elizabeth pronounces a blessing on Mary, saying, "And blessed is she who believed  that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." Mary believed God!! And her faith in Him and His promise was cause for great rejoicing! As Elizabeth's utterance came to a close,  Mary began, in verse 46,  what has come to be called "The Magnificat". She said,  "My soul exalts the Lord.  And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." Again, worship, praise and exaltation!

   After the angel had appeared to John the Baptist's father, Zacharias, he had spoken words of doubt and God shut his mouth and made him mute until the baby was born. But that day, the scripture says in verse 64, "At once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in PRAISE OF GOD."  Then Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel"! Worship, worship and more worship! What joy there was among the people of God as His plan unfolded.

   Then in Bethlehem, according to the scripture, the Messiah was born and in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks. And an angel appeared to them and told them the good news and then suddenly there appeared with that angel a multitude of the heavenly host (Luke 2:13) PRAISING God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest!"   The shepherds went to Bethlehem to find the child to see what the angels had told them and after finding Him, they went back "glorifying God and praising God for all they had heard and seen".  Surely all the earth was being filled to overflowing with praise and worship unto God!

   Then, in Matthew we read the account of the Wise Men from the East seeking the new child King. (Matt 2:2) As they came to Bethlehem following His star, they asked where to find Him. "Where is He who as been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to WORSHIP Him. Verse eleven tell us, "When they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother, they fell down and worshipped Him and opening their treasures they presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."  Out of this worship came great generosity and an overflowing spirit of giving. Amen.

   And finally,  in Luke 2:21, after Jesus had been circumcised, He was taken by His parents to the Temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord, according to the law of Moses.  And there was a man in the Temple name Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon Him.  And when he saw Jesus, he took Him in his arms and "BLESSED GOD"! And likewise in the Temple a prophetess named Anna who never left the Temple, but served day and night with fastings and  prayers. As she came upon Him in the Temple with His parents she began "giving thanks to God".

   The long awaited promise of God was true!! All those touched by the good news were provoked to worship and praise and thank and glorify God! In this Christmas season may the Spirit of Christmas reaffirm to your heart the faithfulness of the promises of God. May you find grace in your heart to "believe God" as Mary did and may your heart overflow in the generosity of a spirit of giving and your  mouth with great exaltation and praise! Merry Christmas from all of us at Praise On Fire Radio! 

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