1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the partnership of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

From "The Work of Christmas" by Howard Thurman.

When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among others, To make music in the heart.

I love that the Rev. Dr. Thurman included making music in the heart along with the other work of Christmas. That other work is essential and can be overwhelming.  Making music --- which I might expand to, creating beauty, having fun, reveling in God’s good gifts of joy and pleasure, feasting on joy and delight – adds meaning to life and is, I think at the heart of sabbath keeping. Sabbath is the time we allow ourselves to remember that God is the creator of the universe and the keeper of time and space; and we are stewards of these gifts. To remember that the Word made flesh is the salvation of the universe and we are not. To remember that we are God’s beloved, not God. A time to give praise and thanks to God and trust that God can take care of the universe while we "make music." The heart resting in God, filled with the music of joy, fuels the body for the rest of the work of Christmas to which we are called as we wait for Christ to come again in glory. 

- Priscilla Hukki, pastor
West Point Trinity UMC-UCC
phukki@greatplainsumc.org

Prayer for Reflection