Christmas Reflections

Even though the song Little Drummer Boy is not Biblical, it is one of my favourite Christmas songs (alongside O Holy Night). Every year it seems to speak to something that my heart knows to be true. Let me unpack…

I am a poor boy too… I have no gift to bring… that’s fit to give the King…

In reflecting on what God did for us in sending His son as a baby, our mighty Saviour, I am aware that all I have to offer God is what He has given me, done for me, or made me to be. On my own, I do not have anything worthy for Him. While there are times when I know I have done His will, or when I have been convicted of my actions, and know He is proud of me, still all the glory is His. I did not reach this point on my own. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts, that guides. It is the Father speaking to me that brings the knowledge and ability to do His will. Any gifting is what He put in me; who am I to boast in my creativity when it is through Him that I have it? All of my riches are because He is mine.

Shall I play for you…

All God has made me to be, I want to offer back to Him. I do not want to keep glory for myself, but worship and praise the Lord with all I am. There needs to be a surrender and a humility to keep Him first, a willingness to be used where He wants me, even if it goes against what makes sense to the world.

I played my drum For him… I played my best for Him… Then He smiled at me

To have Jesus smile at us; to know He is pleased with us, is better reward than any praise the world could give. Despite my feeble offerings, He loves what I bring to Him. He loves me. When I bring a small gift, when I lift up empty hands, still He is proud and welcomes me into His everlasting arms. He will never turn us away. He is always waiting for us to come to Him. The invitation to talk, to rest, to surrender, to praise, is always open. I pray I always say yes to Him.

Little Drummer Boy speaks to a purity that can get lost in consumerism and the way the world markets Christmas. If we didn’t receive any presents, would we still have joy at Christmas, knowing Jesus came to save? If we didn’t have so much of this worldly extravagance, would we feel ripped off and let down? Those who know me know I love the Christmas extras… I enjoy decorating the tree, I enjoy the meal, I enjoy the music. But if it wasn’t there and I had no joy? That wouldn’t be right.

It is New Year’s Eve and like many others, I love to reflect on the year just gone and looking into the one before us. But I felt convicted with how quickly, how easily, it is to pass Christmas by and forget about Jesus. It is the main season to meditate on what God did, and I don’t want to lose that in my readiness for a fresh start. That will come. But right now I need to remember, I need to praise Jesus. He came for us. In this season, am I surrendering all I should be? Am I humble before Him, offering all I have? Because He deserves all that we are.

Sarah xx