We are in the Christmas season and I was thinking on Christmas and how the Christmas story in it's entirety it a perfect picture of true total worship. Lets take it from the beginning.

Mary, a young girl, who was to be married to a carpenter named Joseph. She sees an angel it reveals to her she is going to be the mother of God's only son. Mary accepts the task God has given her. This shows both obedience and trust. Obedience by accepting what God has planned for her to do and trust because she wasn't married yet and the Law demanded her to be punished for this, so she had to trust God would work it all out.

Obedience and Trust demonstrate a sense of surrender. And in surrending to God she is displaying her worship. Also you will notice that Mary's song is recorded. After God has revealed this amazing road ahead she is overwhelmed and can do nothing else but praise God.

Next we look to Joseph. He was going to divorce her quietly but God revealed to him in a dream what he needed to do and Joseph was obedient. Again showing his worship by obeying God. And this also showed a lot of trust in God, I am sure he knew it wasn't going to be easy!

Now we come to the Shepherds. Probably the lowest of the low in society. Angels come and tell them first of Jesus being born! And what is their response? They rush to find the place Jesus is. And what is the result? Their hearts were overflowed with Joy they just had to tell everyone! The angel revealed to them the news and they worshipped by rushing to be in the presence of Jesus and worshipped in telling every one else about Him! And I am sure they would have thought they were not good enough to see the King of Kings but they went just as they were. 

We now come to the Magi, or the wise men, or the Kings. The most popular idea is that there were three to go with the three gifts. We are however not given a specified number but that is irrelevant really. What is relevant is that the birth of a great King was revealed by the unveiling of a new Star by God and after the Magi saw this reveleation their one goal was to pursue that star and worship the King it told them about. How did they worship? Through sacrifice I would argue. 

First of all it probably took them over a year and half from when they would have seen the star to when they actually found Jesus. Also their sacrifice in giving the expensive gifts they brought. They gave their time, and their precious gifts. Sacrifice was their act of worship. Pursuing the presence of the most High untill they found it, leaving behind all else, and giving him the best they could offer. 

Each of those Christmas scenes portray an amazing picture of worship. From each and every scene we can see that worship is always followed by a revelation. You can not worship God as Provider if you have never experienced God providing for you. Worship is our response to a revelation of God, of who He is. 

We can also grasp an idea of what worship is through these scenes. Worship is a response therefore it is an verb - it shows itself in action! That action could be to trust, to obey, sing, to rush to be in the presence of, to come just as you are, to tell, to sacrifice, to give your best, to love. All of these come from a heart that is overflowing because it has been touched by a revelation of God. 

So as you come and celebrate Christmas remember the beautiful picture of Worship it gives. 

Merry Christmas!