Spiritual Development December 2017
I have a confession to make. I have been listening to Christmas music for a few weeks now. There, I said it. Judge me if you want, but I just couldn’t help myself this year. I’m usually much more resolute about waiting until after Thanksgiving, but this year I caved. It feels good to get that off my chest. But seriously, some of my favorite Christmas songs are not the ones that you typically hear on the radio. One in particular that has stood out to me this year is “It came Upon a Midnight Clear.” Here’s a verse from that hymn:
“O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.”
It’s no surprise to anyone that the holiday season can enhance stress and busyness in our lives rather than gratitude and peace. A season which is meant to remind us of the birth of Christ our King can instead leave us feeling out of breath and restless from all the hustle and bustle associated with American Christmas. Don’t get me wrong. I love the Christmas season. But there is a huge temptation, even for Christians, to run right past the “reason for the season” by being distracted with many other good things.
This season stands as a reminder that we can live in “glad and golden hours” because of Christ’s coming. Our faith in Christ provides us the ability to rest alongside the weary road of life and hear the angels sing their song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14) So while you may be feeling the pressures of the holiday season, don’t neglect to rest in the hope of the song of the angels. Rest in the peace of Christ this Christmas.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Recommended Resource — Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp
Every time the Christmas season comes around, we look forward to putting up a tree, giving and receiving gifts, and participating in other traditions that make this wonderful time of year so special. But sometimes the most significant aspect of the season — remembering and focusing on the coming of Jesus — grows old and familiar. This 31 day devotional seeks to recapture our attention and reawaken our awe during Christmastime.