Prayer to praise the newborn king
Author: Kyle Norman
Bible reading:
“The Son is the brightness of God’s glory, the exact expression of his own being, and by his mighty word he upholds all things.” – Hebrews 1:3
Listen or read below:
A few years ago, I was wandering around a local shopping mall. It was late November. Christmas decorations were put up and the crowd started to increase. It was late afternoon, so the mall wasn’t very crowded. Moving from store to store was also easy.
At one point, my mind was tuned to the instrumental background music playing overhead. Music was blaring throughout the mall, but like most people, it simply faded into the background. I didn’t care. Still, there was something familiar about this song above my head. I stopped in the middle of a crowded food court with my eyes closed, listening intently. And I recognized the song in a hurry. The lyrics welled up inside me.
Joy to the world, the Lord is coming
Let’s welcome a king to earth.
Prepare his room with all your heart.
And let heaven and nature sing!
I opened my eyes and watched the people around me move. People rushed here and there, entering and exiting stores. Some people were waiting in line at the register. People carried around bags filled with the ornaments they had purchased. Then I heard a whisper in my mind, as if someone was speaking to me from somewhere above me. “Are you listening?” Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, are any of us preparing space to welcome the King of kings and the Lord of lords?
It’s easy to talk about Jesus as God’s greatest gift to us. Jesus is the gift of the Father’s love and forgiveness. With Jesus, we receive the gift of knowing that His presence surrounds us no matter what.
While this is definitely true, there is one problem with this. If we understand Jesus only through the language of gifts, receiving a gift means the end of the deal. As with any gift, we may say “ah” and “aah” at such extravagant gifts in the moment, but ultimately we let it go and move on with our lives. In our consumer-oriented society, gifts are eventually replaced.
Perhaps Jesus is not a gift to be accepted. He is the one to respond to. The angels’ message was not just that the shepherds had received a gift from heaven. Jesus was not some divine version of an Elf on the Shelf. Rather, the angels announced that God had become incarnate. It means that the Messiah came to be welcomed into human life. Jesus comes not as a gift to be handled, but as someone who comes into our lives.
And since he is coming to see us, shouldn’t we prepare a room for him?
He was born into this world as a radiance of God’s glory. The Christ Child is the exact trace, manifestation, and illumination of the Creator’s magnificent splendor. Everything heaven is packed into baby meat. Furthermore, the Bible makes it clear that this little baby is not a passive presence in the world. Jesus supports us even in our weak bodies. His words are powerful and transformative. So our response is more than just nodding our heads in agreement. We are called to bow down in humble worship and place our lives in God’s hands.
In a world of fragments and baubles, gifts and tools, and human leaders of all kinds, this little baby is our king. And we are called to open our lives to God.
Let’s pray:
Jesus, in this moment I take a step back from the busy world around me. The hustle and bustle of life can be distracting and drown out the call to you with humility and admiration. Therefore, at this moment, Lord, I offer you my deepest adoration and unwavering devotion. Open your place in my life. Come and fill my life, O mighty King.
Lord, you are worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. There is nothing comparable to His Majesty. Heaven and earth are silent before you. And yet, in an amazing act of grace, you come and make your home in me. You give me love and forgiveness. Your presence fills my life with joy and peace. You come not because I have earned your presence, but because I need you. And I need you.
Shining Jesus, thank you for the love that surrounds me every day. Thank you for being with me even when I forget to rely on you. You continue to hold me, call me, and support me. Any praise I can bring you is but a small offering, but it is my joy to offer you all the praise I can bring you.
May each day of my life be a day of living in your powerful presence.
I pray in your holy and precious name. Amen.
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Photo credit: Getty Images/BeritK
The Rev. Kyle Norman is senior pastor of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. He holds a PhD in spiritual formation and is a sought-after author, speaker, and retreat leader. His work can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, and Renovare Canada. He also maintains his own blog, revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of pastoral experience and focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.
Related Resources: Be Still – Advent Meditation
This season of Advent is busy and hectic, but that’s why we need time to stop and be still with God. So Much More is a podcast created to bring you a space to be with God. This month we’ll be introducing Advent meditations designed to help you quiet your mind and hear from the Lord. If you like what you hear, subscribe to So Much More on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
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