December 25, 2019 -- Psalm 119:81 -- Do you know it's Christmas?
/My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
Psalm 119:81 English Standard Version
Christmas Day—and our text today read: “My soul longs for your salvation”. On the way home from a prison visit I was listening to the radio. Stations would fade in and out of range, so I was listening to a variety of stations. The country station had Garth Brooks and his wife singing a Christmas song. The rock station had “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” 1984 Band Aid. Everyone it seems, from garish rocks stars to classical musicians, including those who through the rest of the year would only use the Name of our Saviour as a curse word now earnestly sing songs of His salvation. Why is that?
Our souls are formed and created for relationship with God. At Christmas and Easter particularly even our secular culture knows there is a something significant celebrated by those who by the grace of God have been drawn by His Spirit into a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. Though they mimic it and try to copy it, their souls are not satisfied.
Thirty years later you can read the biographies of those who participated in Band Aid. One went on to have multiple drug arrests. On Christmas Day 2016, at 53 years of age, he died at home of “natural causes”. You can go down the list and read the various biographies of those involved and see the drama and trauma left in their wake. Another one has a long history of drug abuse, holding someone against their will and beating this person. The real and piercing question could be asked of each of the Band Aid participants: do they know it’s Christmas? Do they know the significance of Christ—born a child and yet a king? Born to save His people from death and the grave.
All of us need a hope and a standard that is outside of ourselves. The psalm-writer knows his only hope is in the Word of God. The written word drives him with the eyes of faith to see the Living Word—Jesus Christ. From our vantage point in history we have the privilege of reading the completed Bible: Jesus has come. He bore the punishment of God against our sin. He rose victorious conquering death, the grave and hell. The longing of our souls can only be satisfied in knowing Jesus Christ.
If you do not yet know Jesus in this way I have just described: pray to the Spirit of God and ask Him to reveal Jesus to you in a rich way. Read the Scripture and pray until the knowledge of Jesus Christ is for you such sweetness and life that your soul’s longing is sated and filled. Call a Christian friend, whose walk you admire and ask about his (or her) faith. Dear Christian friends, as you rejoice, I urge you be sensitive to the Spirit and prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the rich hope that lives in you.
LORD of Christmas glory and daily splendours so magnificent and triumphant blessed be Your Name! Father in heaven, thank You for Your love and justice so rich and full that You have given us Jesus the Savior. Blessed Spirit of the Living God, thank You for taking the truth of Scripture and filling our hearts and longing souls with the refreshment which can only be found in Jesus Christ. Thank You, Jesus, hope of all the world, Desired One of all nations. May Your Name be praised in ever growing choruses until You return with Your saints and holy ones! Today especially, mighty Savior, we pray for our friends and family members who don’t yet know you. We pray that the Christmas story will awaken the longing of their souls and Your Spirit will bring them to the knowledge of Who You Are. We pray for those who are cultural icons—may they truly know it is Christmas and know the significance of that wonderful statement. Amen.
