"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”
Psalm 100: 1-2, NIV
I hate winter. I know that may seem like a strong statement, but I really do. I hate being cold. I hate the hassle of snow. I hate being stuck indoors most of the day every day. But, most of all, I hate the darkness.
That’s part of the reason I love Christmas and decorating for Christmas so much. The Christmas lights and decorations we adorn our homes with symbolizing the hope – the light in the cold dark months – that Christmas brings. The light and hope of a Savior, Jesus. Born, as so many Christmas carols tell us, to: “ransom captive Israel,” “give us second birth,” “save us all from Satan’s power,” and “bring us goodness and light.” And so, while it might be dark outside, Christmas reminds us that we still have reason to be “merry and bright.”
Now, I know that Christmas is not without its fair share of stressors: the mile-long to-do lists, high expectations, potential family drama, and competing commitments, but it also seems to come with a spirit of generosity, joy, peace, kindness, and hope. Again, I’m not saying all is perfect – I’ve certainly heard and experienced the horror stories of tangled Christmas lights, parking lot brawls, and shopping nightmares – but, overall, research has shown that:
People are more altruistic in December. This means we are more likely to do things like give to charity for purely intrinsic motives and behave kinder to strangers.[1]
The vast majority of us report being happier on Christmas day than any other day of the year.[2]
There is real evidence of “holiday cheer” that manifests in people’s brain activity during the Christmas season.[3]
With that in mind then, the next question becomes, what causes this so-called “Christmas cheer” or “Christmas spirit?” To that end, researchers don’t know for sure, but many have suggested it has to do with things like: celebrating the holiday with family and friends; giving and receiving gifts; reliving fond childhood memories; and enjoying the traditions of the holiday. But, while all of those are good things, and many of them are even some of my favorite things about Christmas, I believe the real reason is deeper than that. That, perhaps, part of the reason the Christmas spirit takes root in our hearts is because of two important principles of our faith: First, we are creatures made to worship.
We are creatures made to worship.
The prophet Isaiah illustrates this first point while describing our Lord’s relationship with His chosen people. After describing how the Lord will serve as the Savior and Redeemer of Israel, he emphasizes why – because God formed us and created us for His glory.
“The people whom I formed for Myself will make known My praise.”
(Isaiah 43:21, AMP)
We are made to give Him praise. And, one of the primary ways we do that is through worship. Unfortunately, however, many of us choose to turn our praise and worship away from the Lord and toward the things of man instead.
We become like what we worship.
When we worship created things rather than the Creator Himself, it not only violates our call to worship God, it impacts our spirits. Why? Because of a second principle of our faith: we become like what we worship. Respected theologian, N.T. Wright, expands upon this principle in his book, Surprised by Hope:
When human beings give their heartfelt allegiance to and worship that which is not God, they progressively cease to reflect the image of God. One of the primary laws of human life is that you become like what you worship; what’s more, you reflect what you worship not only to the object itself but also outward to the world around.
Those who worship money increasingly define themselves in terms of it and increasingly treat other people as creditors, debtors, partners, or customers rather than as human beings. Those who worship sex define themselves in terms of it (their preferences, their practices, their past histories) and increasingly treat other people as actual or potential sex objects. Those who worship power define themselves in terms of it and treat other people as either collaborators, competitors, or pawns. These and many other forms of idolatry combine in a thousand ways, all of them damaging to the image-bearing quality of the people concerned and of those whose lives they touch.
The good news, however, is that when our worship is properly directed toward God, we will become more and more like His Son, Jesus, and better able to reflect His character to the world.
What then is Jesus’s character? Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.[4] Generosity. Mercy. All traits that just happen to be synonymous with "Christmas cheer" and that become more evident in how we treat one another during the Christmas season. Why? Perhaps it’s because, in the form of Christmas carols, worship music is more prevalent on our radio stations, in our hearts, and on our minds during this time of year than any other. Songs like: Joy to the World, Silent Night, The First Noel, Hark! The Herald Angles Sing, O Come O Come Emmanuel, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and even Do You Hear What I Hear and The Little Drummer Boy. All Christmas carols that celebrate the powerful truth of the Christmas season – the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In the form of Christmas carols, worship music is more prevalent on our radio stations, in our hearts, and on our minds during this time of year than any other.
And so, thanks to Christmas carols like the ones above, there are, quite likely, more people actively engaged in worship during Christmas than any other time of year. For example, those who may usually only participate in worship during church on Sundays throughout the year may at Christmas be singing songs of praise throughout the week. Even those those who do not regularly sing praise and worship songs throughout the year might just find themselves singing along to Silent Night throughout the holiday season. And, ultimately – whether we are fully aware of it or not – as we sing songs that reflect God’s truths, our spirits are uplifted.
To that end, I recently heard a pastor speak about his upbringing as a young boy raised in an atheist family. He described how, despite being raised in a purely secular environment, he regularly heard traditional Christmas carols sung throughout the holiday season. And, how those Christmas carols taught him the name of Jesus and the idea of a Savior being born. Now, while Christmas carols alone are not to thank for his salvation, they did plant seeds in his heart and mind that stayed with him as he grew. Seeds that eventually played a role in His coming to pursue and ultimately know Jesus.
The power of worship is real... It shifts our focus from ourselves, our worries, and our fears, to God and His power, His Glory, and His might.
This pastor’s story illustrates another profound principle: the power of worship is real. That’s why, all throughout God’s Word, there are calls for God’s people to “worship him in Spirit and in Truth”[5] with “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.”[6] Why? Because, in addition to becoming like that which we worship, worship draws us closer to the heart of God. It shifts our focus from ourselves, our worries, and our fears, to God and His power, His Glory, and His might. Worship reminds us who God is and what He’s capable of doing in our lives.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
(Psalm 100)
Yes, there is power in praise, worship, and thanksgiving. And the good news is, that power is available to us all year long. It may happen more naturally and without much effort at Christmas, but we can choose to make worship a daily part of our lives long after Christmas carols have left our airwaves.
I offer you this challenge: will you commit with me to cultivating a spirit of worship into the New Year by setting aside only 5-10 minutes of your day - every day - in worship to the Lord?
So then, if you’re like me and you find that your spirits start to fall as the Christmas lights come down and the holiday season fades from memory, I offer you this challenge: commit to cultivating a spirit of worship into the New Year. Make it one of your goals – or resolutions if you prefer – to listen to at least one worship song a day. Whether it’s while you are getting ready for work in the morning, during your morning commute, while you’re doing laundry or making dinner, or right before you go to bed, will you commit with me to set aside 5-10 minutes of your day - every day - in worship to the Lord? Find a praise and worship Pandora, Spotify, or YouTube station you can tune into daily and simply spend a few moments worshiping Jesus and praising Him for what He’s done in your life.[7]
Even though the darkness and bareness of winter might seem overwhelming, the light and hope of Christ is not extinguished. For God is the light of the world, and His light can not be put out.
In the end, just because the Christmas decorations have been put away doesn’t mean we’re resigned to the dark. For even though the darkness and bareness of winter might seem overwhelming, the light and hope of Christ is not extinguished. Our God is the light of the world, and His light can not be put out. It can not be stored away. It’s available to us always. And, the more time we spend worshiping Jesus, the more naturally we will reflect His light to the world not only at Christmas but all year round.
Song for Worship:
"From the Inside Out" by Hillsong Worship:
“Your will above all else My purpose remains The art of losing myself In bringing You praise
Everlasting Your light will shine when all else fades Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fame”
References:
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/12/23/why-arent-people-happier-during-the-holidays/we-are-happier-on-the-holidays
[4] Galatians 5:22-23
[5] John 4:24
[6] Ephesians 5:19
[7] Not sure where to start? Here’s a link to my Worship playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1SZ4SM4IfWHxyvybcFp22z
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