Praise His Glorious Name

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. Psalm 72: 18 – 19

Don’t we so enjoy worship services during the Christmas season? The sanctuaries are always decorated so beautifully with wreaths, hanging greenery and red ribbons. The candles will be burning, we will sing those old, familiar hymns we love about the birth of Christ, and there will be a spirit of anticipation and joy in the air.

It will be a time for giving God our most heartfelt praise and gratitude, but most of all, it will be a time to glorify Him and to exalt His name on High. Isn’t that what true worship is all about – giving Him the glory He so deserves?

And isn’t that the true meaning of Christmas, as well?  In celebrating the season of His birth, we are giving God the glory for the gift of His Son. For Jesus came to earth as a newborn child to show the glory of God to the people then and to all generations to follow. Through the miracle of His birth the evidence of His power, grace, and love of our Almighty, sovereign God was seen.

From the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, to the angel’s words to Mary about giving birth to the Son of the Most High, to her reply about being blessed and favored by God, to baby Jesus being born and wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manager, to the angel of the Lord appearing to the shepherds with the good news on how to find the Christ child, to the star appearing in the heavens to show the wise men where to find Him – all were about believing in God’s promises and seeing His glory.

Through the life of Christ, we saw the love with which He transformed hearts, the power with which His touch brought about miracles, and the grace with which He endured the cross and redeemed our lives. And through His death, we saw the power of His resurrection, the love with which He placed His Spirit in our hearts, and the grace to trust that He will always be with us and keep us in His care. Through it all, we have seen the glory of God.

We give Him glory because He deserves our praise for the gift of His Son. But we also give Him glory because we see His power, His grace, and His love all around us –  in our world, in those we love, and in our own hearts. In this prayer, David called upon His people to praise God’s glorious name forever, and may we do the same each and every day. For God has done great wonders among us, and He has promised that there is more to come. What a promise that “one day the whole earth will be filled with His glory.”

Prayer 

Our loving God, we give you praise for the wonders you have done. May we glorify your name, in this season of Christ’s birth, and every day for the gift of your love and grace. Amen