TWLL #31: Beholding The Ancient Infant Before Singing To Him

read time: under 5 minutes

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Christmas time is one of the busiest seasons for us as worship leaders.  

But it can also be a beautiful season for our own hearts even in the busyness, if we’ll take the time to slow down and behold the Infant we sing to.

Here are a handful of things you might try this season, to help your own heart slow down and really see that Baby in the manger.

Read More Of The Context

Usually we focus in on Luke 2 for the Christmas story, which is good— but the overlapping storyline of John the Baptist‘s birth, Zechariah’s song, and then Mary’s song add so much depth and perspective to the story.

If you haven’t sat in Luke 1 very much, I’d encourage you to jump in this year, and see how it renews the story for your own heart.

Then go to Matthew 1 and 2, for the same reasons.

Do A Luke 2 Slow Read

Because Luke 2 is the most famous part of the Christmas story, it’s really easy for us to become overfamiliar with it.  

A helpful way to get past the over-familiarity is to do a slow read of the chapter.

Try breaking it up phrase by phrase, and start with a single phrase to meditate on.  Read the phrase, then pause, and then read it again.  Then pray the phrase, pause, and pray it again.

Doing this can immerse you in the story in a deeper way, and allow you to notice things you maybe never thought about before.

Wonder About The Story

After you do a slow read of Luke 2, or after you read more of the context of the story in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1, take a pen and paper and begin to journal about it.

Write down the things that stand out to you, write down the things that you have questions about, write down the things that hit you hard.  

Something about writing it out actually helps you process and understand the story in a greater way.  

Writing it out can also lead you to wonder about the story— and there’s something about the wonder and curiosity that can lead you to connect with Jesus through the story in a powerful way.

Conclusion

As busy and crazy as this time of year has the potential to be for you, give your heart the chance to slow down and connect with the Baby Jesus through the story.  

Slowly walk through the events leading up to His birth, and then linger at the manager and allow the awe and wonder to overtake your heart again.

Because that’s the place you want your heart to be, when you step onstage this Christmas season and sing to the Ancient Infant.

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