Christmas
December 29, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-14

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
   and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
   and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
   and they shall never languish again. –Jeremiah 31:12

It seems like I have had this cold forever. It robbed me of voice at a time when I love to sing, the Advent/Christmas season. I actually, unusually, chose not to attend the Christmas Eve service because my coughing might have over shadowed the service. I, of course, could still listen to music, but it is not the same as singing and singing alone is not the same as singing with a group.

Following in the way of Jesus is not a spectator activity whether we are worshipping God or serving others. We are called to be on the playing field or court when called, and to be on the bench ready to go at all times when we are not in play. I have heard or read a lot about the difference in whether a sport’s team wins or loses. It is not so much about the game plan as it is about the energy and the consistency of the energy the players invest in the game. The truth applies to all of life and especially to our life in Christ whose game plan is solid and worthy of our trust.

So let us all go forth today to take care of the business of being in Christ for he is with us to sustain us and to never languish in his work.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won*.

Prayer: Lord, keep your song in our hearts and energize us to sing your love through how we live our lives. Amen.

From the first verse of Lift every voice and sing words by James W. Johnson see at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/i/liftevry.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.