“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” – Luke 1:68-69
The Visit
One of the welcoming symbols of the Advent and Christmas season is a decorated tree. It is often visible from the street because it is carefully placed beside a window and, sometimes, outside the house. It is a reminder that an entire culture stops what it is doing to welcome Jesus and, in welcoming Him, to welcome each other into a circle of celebration and love.
We see trees in hotel lobbies, hospitals, parks, and even churches. Trees point upward. One might say that they are raised up like a horn of salvation declaring God’s redeeming power and love.
Christmas trees have roots in cultures that predate Christianity, but so do many other symbols of faith that have been incorporated into the message of the gospel. That is the nature of the message itself. Jesus’ coming is about redemption. He redeems people. He redeems symbols. He redeems entire communities. He redeems everything possible for His own purposes.
It is for redemption that He has visited us and it is because of that, we bless and welcome Him.
“Blessed be the Lord God” is song of celebration and worship. It is a song of joy. It is a Christmas carol for every day of the year.
God loves for His people to celebrate. He calls us to a life of celebration. We celebrate with our music, our movement, and our art. We celebrate and worship Him with whatever is at our disposal – our food, our decorations, pour poetry, and the work of our hands. Anything we can create or do can be an act of celebration and worship that welcomes Jesus and makes each day Christmas.
It just needs to be dedicated to Him and to His glory.
The blessed God of Israel, who has visited us with redemption, who has raised up a horn of salvation, this very God of grace and glory, is pleased, delighted, and welcomed by our celebrations of His coming – even our trees.
In other words, God must surely love Christmas!
These words were written as church bulletin devotional for churches who offer Master Sunday Bulletins to their congregations. May it serve as a source of encouragement to you today. You are welcome to copy this devotion for one-time non-commercial, local church, or educational use. Please include the copyright line printed below with any reproduction. © Master Sunday Bulletins 2012. All rights reserved. Published by Master Sunday Bulletins · Merri V. Dennis, Publisher · Thomas B. Sims, Author