December 16, 2021 - Advent Devotion
This Week:
Sunday, December 19, 2021:
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Previous Week’s Service with Children’s Christmas Program
Lift high the cross
The love of Christ proclaim
'Til all the world adore
His sacred name
Come Christians
Follow where our captain trod
Our King victorious
Christ the Son of God.
Lift high the cross
The love of Christ proclaim
'Til all the world adore his sacred name
All new-born soldiers of the Crucified
Bear on their brows the seal of him who died
Lift high the cross
The love of Christ proclaim
'Til all the world adore his sacred name
So shall our song of triumph ever be
Praise to the Crucified for victory
Lift high the cross
The love of Christ proclaim
'Til all the world adore his sacred name
Mary nodded
Pa-rum pum pum pum
The Ox and Lamb kept time
Pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him
Pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him
Pa-rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me
Pa-rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.”
This season, these amazing days, the events, the gatherings, the relationships, God's grace, Emmanuel, heaven and nature singing, invite us to make our joy in Christ known to God and to others; to repeat the sounding joy as Paul did, to rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!
You may have wondered why "Lift High The Cross" is included with "The Little Drummer Boy" today.
Fifteen years ago this very week, thanks be to God, out on our building site, our cross tower was lifted high, to forever repeat the sounding joy, to make known heaven and nature sing in the grace God gives to us in The Lord of our lives! May our ministry continue to make God and our neighbors first, to forever lift high the cross, " 'til all the world adore his sacred name," and to boldly believe: "The Lord is near."
Paul was in prison, and he still repeated the sounding joy and rejoiced. The little drummer boy was not sure what to offer. He repeated the sounding joy by playing his best for Him. You and I are invited each day to repeat the sounding joy as we lift high the cross in our lives, as we play our best for Him, as we share in ministry, as we rejoice, and again I say rejoice!
Let us pray: Gracious God, today, through these days of Advent, through the twelve days of Christmas, as we await Christ's return, as we anticipate how you, God, will next grace each of us and our ministry; make known to us your gentleness, come near to us, and repeat the sounding joy in our lives. Send us out with courage and faith by your Holy Spirit like Paul and the little drummer boy to lift high the cross and to play our best for you always. On behalf of the ministry that makes us one "to proclaim the love of God 'til all the world adore His name," we thank you Almighty God for the gift of the cross tower fifteen years ago, for the gift of faithfully coming near each and every day. Smile on me today and always, I pray. Amen.
