Glory To God In The Highest

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Have you seen the video on You Tube of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah being performed in various locations like shopping centers or the food court at a mall? It is just amazing to see this song start out in a public setting with a single singer and then people join in from various locations with the spot where it is being performed. Normally we think of this music as performed only in concert halls or a more formal setting than a mall food court. But what a marvel it is to see and hear. This is an awesome piece of music that sings glorious praise to God regardless of the setting in which it is performed. Check it out.

There are elements of the Christmas season that cause stress for many people. It could be the stressed brought on by the many activities that pop up and demand your attention and attendance. And there can be a financial strain for some people during this season with trying to buy the right gift(s) for everyone on their list. Are you to be counted among those suffering from Christmas season stress? Take heart dear friends. Relief is available. All you have to remember is where to find it and who it comes from. I am one of those that stresses during the Christmas season. My reason for stress is I end up with too many things on my plate. Meetings, social gatherings, working with charitable organizations on projects, and more all add up to stress for me. It is difficult for me to just say no when someone asks for help during the Christmas season. And I suspect I am not alone. Where can I find help? Well, Luke 2:14 is a good indicator. We, as the angels tell us to, give glory to God in the highest. He is our rock, our salvation, and our source of sustenance with our daily bread. And he is our source of peace. If have found myself searching for peace, and in doing so it seems peace has gone off on vacation to Tahiti and left me here in Pocatello. But look at Philippians 4: 4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
We find several things in these verses for us to remember. 1.) Rejoice in the Lord. And never cease in rejoicing. 2.) Make sure you are reasonable with everyone, and at all times. 3.) God is with us and knowing that, we should not be anxious about anything. So being reasonable with others should be a walk in the park. 4.) Pray often and give all your worries, and your thanksgiving, up to God in prayer. 5.) And God’s peace, not mortal man’s frail peace, will be with us. These are five simple things to remember when you (and I) become stressed during the Christmas season. After all, why would we want to have stress in our lives when at Christmas we are celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace?

PRAYER: God of love and God of peace we seek You in times of struggle. We turn to You in search of that peace that surpasses all understanding. We look to You for the living waters that flow only from You. Shelter us, dear Lord from the chaos of the world, and the chaos we can create in our own lives. Help us to stay firmly anchored in Your love today and every day of our lives. We ask this in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Amen