Advent Devotional Day 16: Glory to God in the Highest (Rain or Shine)

December 16:

B.C. verse:  Luke 2:13-14

A.D. verse: Philippians 2:9-11

Christmas hymn: “Angels We Have Heard on High”

Hymn for today: “To God Be the Glory” and “He Reigns” by Newsboys

Friday night was gift-wrapping night. I do this to myself every year. As I/we purchase Christmas gifts, they are deposited on the bed in the spare room until there is an ominous mound waiting to be wrapped. Then, I take one night and blitz-wrap the whole pile. As a reward for my efforts, I make sure there is a Christmas movie playing in the background. On Friday night, Elf was the entertainment.

At the very end of the film, Santa’s sleigh is grounded in Central Park in New York City. Buddy the Elf is working feverishly to get it operational, but what it really needs to get it off the ground is a large dose of Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, as Santa sadly confesses, Christmas spirit levels have been woefully low in recent years, which is why Santa’s sleigh now needed the mechanized power.

Jovie, Buddy’s new love interest, senses that she needs to act.  Even though she considers singing in public to be the ultimate anathema, she remembers something Buddy had told her: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loudly for all to hear.” Timidly, she begins singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” As others begin to join her, she gains confidence and volume. Eventually, everybody is singing at the top of his/her lungs, and miracle of all miracles, it is just the right dose of Christmas spirit to get Santa’s sleigh off the ground, so he can finish his Christmas Eve tour. Miracles happen when enthusiastic spirits and voices unite.

Hey, wait a minute; that reminds of something. “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased!’” (Luke 2:13-14). The fireworks at Lake Beauty Bible Camp are hands-down amazing and light up the sky like nothing I’ve ever seen, but I’ll bet a sky full of singing angel warriors would totally kick its butt in magnificence.

And look at what they are doing – singing glory to God - songs of praise, adoration, and thanksgiving. Likewise, they are requesting peace on earth – freedom from all disturbance, rest, tranquility – for those who are favored by God. It’s a scene of perfect happiness. Who can’t relate to that? When any of gets a wonderful piece of news, we react! We laugh, we scream, we cry, we shout, and yes, we sing. In our moments of perfect happiness, we want the world to know too.

Here’s the true test of an unshakeable faith – singing in moments of absolute distress. It’s easy, appropriate, and even contagious to sing in moments of pleasure, but what about those moments when it feels as though the walls of your world are falling down around you?

In August 2011, we received a call on a Sunday morning that Mike’s uncle in Grand Forks was not doing well. He had been struggling with cancer for quite a while and was now preparing to exit this world. Mike’s sister, Rhonda, and her husband, Rick, Mike, Erika, and I immediately hopped in the car for the four-hour drive to the hospital.

When we arrived, it became clear rather quickly that today was going to be the day. The hospital room was entirely filled with Arlin’s family – his kids and their spouses, his wife and her kids, his ex-wife, his sister and brother-in-law (Mike’s mom and dad), his mom, and us. When we arrived, he was still lucid, so we all had the blessed opportunity to be able to take turns in saying goodbye. Then, it became a waiting game.

At some point, Arlin’s ex-wife, Linda, began to sing hymns. Sometimes, she sang alone, and other times, we sang with her. Of the injustices in life, one of the worst is when a parent outlives a child, and even though her “baby” was 60+ years old, Granny, Arlin’s mom, was having a tough time in saying goodbye. One of many poignant memories of that day was watching Granny sing a hymn while tears rolled down her cheeks.  

I have no doubt that the aerial praise and worship concert on the night that Christ was born was the most awesome musical extravaganza in history, and God was smiling like none other.  I bet He has just as wide a smile when someone in the pits of despair weakly whispers a song of praise. Praising God when everything is going well is easy; praising God when things are crappy is true faith.  

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

“Praise You In This Storm” by Casting Crowns

Daily Challenge: Write a specific, positive comment today on someone’s Facebook wall, Twitter comment (tweet), or blog.