Tonight our church held its annual Christmas program. This is always a fun time because the event is focused on the children in our church performing some rendition of the Christmas story. There’s plenty of singing of Christmas carols and recitations from the kids, a point in the program where you hold your breath wondering if they’re going to remember their lines.
My part in the program was to lead the congregation in singing several of the Christmas carols, welcome everyone, and then give a brief message on Christmas. The title of my message was, “Does God Ever Sing?” In thinking about this topic, it struck me that God must sing a lot. Here’s what I mean.
When God chose to create the universe it was out of a sense of joy simply to be creating something special because he could. Just as when any one of us creates something in our workshop, or kitchen, we get a kick out of taking things and creating something new, something different, something unique and special with our special touch on it.
Amidst all of the things that comprise the universe, God knew it would not be complete without his special touch on it. That special touch would be the creation of a being that would be an exact representation of himself. God made this being, Man, in his own image and likeness. This being would only find fulfillment when involved in a close relationship with God himself. We were made to be like him; that is to say, we have the capacity to love deeply, and to be loved in return. We also have the ability to reason, and to choose between right and wrong. When God saw that this unique creation of his was the crown of all that he had made, he sang! It caused him to rejoice and ultimately declare, “It is very good!”
God knew there was a risk in creating beings that were like him. These humans could make wrong choices if presented with the opportunity. Presented with this possibility, God made a plan to rescue his most prized creation by coming to the world himself in the form of a man, just like the way he had created humans at the outset. Only this time God would offer himself to these humans. You see, they no longer loved each other as the reflection of God, but became suspicious of each other, distrusting, and violent in their attempt to protect themselves. God knew such a manner of living was detrimental to these special beings that had lost touch with him.
So, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, the angels announced his birth to the lowly shepherds who had the graveyard shift with the sheep. God knew what he was going to accomplish, and he sang, and so did the angels of heaven.
Shortly after, when Jesus was abused and violated by the very beings he had created, he was put to death on a crude cross. But to the surprise of everyone, Jesus rose from the grave after three days. The plan of salvation was now finalized – and God sang!
Ever since that moment, each time one of these humans created by God place their lives in the care of Jesus, the entire heavenly host sings, and God leads the singing!
God and the angels broke out in song over me when I trusted Jesus as my Savior on September 8, 1972.
God has done everything to make it possible for you to come back into fellowship with him. Have you accepted Jesus? Has God been able to sing over you? If not, I can’t think of a better way to have a Merry Christmas in 2010!
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