(I spoke this at our Church during the Christmas season but I think it’s an appropriate message for year round 🙂 )

“O Come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant. Oh come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him born the King of angels. Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!”

Have you ever considered that this song starts with “oh come all ye FAITHFUL” It doesn’t say “oh come all you who believe! Oh come all who are curious. Oh come all who are in need.” But come all who are faithful.

Now yes, it is true that those who do believe, those who are curious, and those who are in need definitely are able to come to the manger and meet this King.

But it is those who are faithful, who are living rightly according to God’s Covenant who are able to come with joy and triumphantly.

Everyone comes to church on Christmas Eve, but who comes back Sunday morning in January to continue the celebration? Everyone comes when the church is lit and beautiful and this tiny baby held in His mother’s arms is being celebrated. But, who comes back to kneel at the cross and the empty grave when that baby has grown up and become a man with which to be reckoned?

The faithful. Not the perfect, not the strongest, not the smartest or the wisest, not the biggest, not the most beautiful, nor the richest, or the one who has everything figured out. But the faithful. And sometimes that means simply putting one foot in front of the other to continue following God even when it doesn’t make sense.

God is calling you to faithfulness, to persevere in this relationship with Him. Come to the manger and kneel before the baby, yes, but don’t stop there. Stand and walk with the man. Learn from Him, get to know His ways, His teachings. Become His disciple. For He alone is worthy, Christ the Lord.