Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!
Luke 2:14

When songwriter Buck Ram was a homesick 16-year-old college student, he scribbled some words for his mom, a poem called, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” He left a copy with some friends in a bar, but did not speak of it afterward. Imagine his surprise when, shortly afterward, Bing Crosby recorded “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” making it one of the biggest hits of 1943. The whole affair ended up in court, but the song’s popularity was undiminished because, after all, we all want to be home for Christmas.

But sometimes that just isn’t possible; and that’s when we start singing another song–“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you.”

When it comes to Christmas, the why is more important than the where. When we’re worshipping Jesus, anywhere will do and everywhere is Christmas. His presence is within us. His eternity is before us. His arms are beneath us. His love is around us. When we focus on Jesus rather than ourselves, we forget about the secular songs and sing instead Gloria in excelsis Deo!–Glory to God in the Highest!

If you can’t be home for Christmas, be at home with Christmas wherever you are!

Jesus’ coming is the final and unanswerable proof that God cares.
William Barkley, commentator

Here the secret of usefulness is set forth. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee.”(Psalm 84:5)

Many of you have been Christians for a long time. When you get in difficulties or troubles or pressures, where is your strength? Have you found that your strength is in God, that He is the One who makes a difference?

One Saturday night I came home after a day away from my church responsibilities, and I was very tired. My wife told me some of the things that had been happening, some of the pressures that had come that day from the church and from the family. They were the kind of things I would normally want to lay before the Lord and pray about. But I didn’t feel like praying. I was tired, and I wanted to go to bed. I thought to myself, “What’s the use of praying, anyway? I’m so tired that my prayers wouldn’t have any power.”

Then it struck me: What a thing to say! What difference does it make how I feel? My reliance isn’t upon my prayers but upon God’s power. It always bothers me to hear Christians talk about “the power of prayer.” There isn’t any power in prayer. There is power in the God who answers prayer. I was rebuked in my own spirit by the remembrance that it makes no difference how tired I happen to be. So I prayed–very briefly, because the power of prayer doesn’t lie in the length of it, either. Charles Spurgeon used to speak of those who had the idea that the power of the ministry lay in the lungs of the preacher. But it doesn’t lie there, either. Power lies in the God who is behind prayer. “Blessed are those whose strength is in you.”

Some time ago I was trying to sell my car. Intending to put an ad in the paper, I read through several car ads to learn how to phrase it. I noticed a phrase that appeared again and again throughout the ads. It said, “Power all around.” At first I didn’t know what that meant, and then I realized it meant power steering, power brakes, automatic transmission, power windows, power seats, and, in the case of a convertible, a power top. Power all around! All this power is designed to take the terrible strain out of driving so that all you need to do is sit there and push little buttons and things will happen. What a tremendous description of the Christian life! Power all around!

Lord, You are the strength of my life. When I am weak and weary, let me turn to You for the power I need.

By Ray Stedman