“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150

Over and over, the Bible invites us to praise G-d, not because G-d needs our praise — but because this is all we can give to G-d: Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving. The book of the Bible we call the “Psalms” is a book of praise for G-d and provides us many examples of how to praise G-d. During worship, we often sing praises to G-d in song. But praising G-d is not something that necessarily comes naturally to many. I have found that when I put something in G-d’s hands, I am more readily able to praise G-d for whatever the outcome might be. This is the purpose of Psalm 150 — it reminds us to praise the Lord. Read the psalm aloud or turn to most any one of the psalms to find examples of how and why we should praise G-d.

On this second day of Christmas, let us praise the Lord for all the gifts we have been given.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the opportunity to praise you. Thank you for showing us reasons why and ways to praise you. Thank you for helping us understand that our works can be a way to praise you too. Guide us each day in how best to give you thanks and praise you in all of our words and all of our deeds. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Dave

“For God so loved the world, that God gave God’s only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in may not perish, but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17

We have made it. It is Christmas morning. Jesus has come. Even as adults, we enjoy the presentation of gifts, the opening of gifts, and the joy of unexpected gifts. But we also enjoy the return of friends and family — all together once again. Perhaps this is the joy G-d experienced when Jesus, the Son, rose from the dead and went back home to Heaven. So, the Christmas story doesn’t end at the cradle, nor did it end at the cross…it ends with Jesus arriving back in the Kingdom of G-d.

Our verse today is probably the most well known in the Bible, and in it we find the brief summary of the entire Bible…all 66 books. Martin Luther called it the “Gospel in Miniature”. G-d sent the Son Jesus, that we might have eternal life. Jesus died so that he can come again to take us with him for the greatest homecoming ever.

This Christmas Day, as you gather with your family and friends, or even if you are alone this Christmas, let us remember what this child born in a manger will go on to do for all believers. And, let’s keep looking ahead to the Son’s return and our homecoming in Heaven.

Pastor Dave