Do You Hear What I Hear? ~8 Days Away

           "Angels We Have Heard on High"

8 Days Away

Today is about worship. "Sweetly singing." Who is doing that singing? 

Angels. 

Many of the details surrounding Jesus' birth are, well, not normal. In order to be more kind, I could say, not typical, but I really do mean not normal. 

The announcement of Jesus' birth is certainly not normal. Angels announced Christ's arrival. Angels.

While we can quickly conjure up images of Christmas pageants past with our littlest children donning white sheets, wings, and halos, the reality can be much more complex to fathom. 

Angels? Heavenly beings?--Yes! Yes! Yes!

With the glory of this realization comes the sobering fact of those of the reality of those on the other side. Let us glory in Jesus AND let us put on the full armor of God in order to face each day prepared for our spiritual battles.

Music: "Angels We Have Heard on High"

Meditation: "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." ~Colossians 1:15-16

"The LORD Speaks
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 
'Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 
Where were you then I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand. 
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it? 
On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone--
while the morning stars sang together 
and all the angels shouted for joy?" ~Job 38:1-7

"If you say, 'The LORD is my refuge,' and you make the Most High your dwelling, 
no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you 
to guard you in all your ways 
they will lift you up in their hands, 
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." ~Psalm 91:9-12

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  ~Ephesians 6:10-12

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Glory! Glory! Glory!

"Sweetly singing o'er the plains!"

Almighty God, We glorify You, Lord. We praise You for all of creation. We glorify You this holiday season; we shift our selfish focus from ourselves and our place in this world to You and how You created this world. Lord, fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we can live each day to glorify You. In Jesus' Name.  Amen.


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