Lifting my Banner

Psalm 20:5
"We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests."

This Christmas season is a little different for us this year. We decided as a family to forgo much of the gift buying and things we do and really focus on the joy of the season. It has been very nice to not get caught up in much of the rush this time of year brings. However, this stillness if you will, has brought another realization to me. There is so much heartache and sadness this time of year! People hurting for so many different reasons. The flurry of activity I am usually involved in during December only allowed me to just cast a glance at those who were having a difficult time, I mean after all its Christmas shouldn't everyone be joyous? How self-centered. Then it hit me - Christ was born into a hurting suffering world that was hopeless. Born into times that are just like these to be our Hope! Glory! Salvation!
I pray a lot for the Lord to reveal Himself to me in a mighty way. He did just that recently. My husband and I got to see Providence at its greatest and it blew us away. Not earth shattering to others but to us a revelation that "Yes my child I hear you and I am constantly at work in your life and the lives of others and yes you can believe Me" The details are not something we desire to share but rather to ponder in our own hearts, but the Glory of the Lord is something we MUST lift up. He is worthy of our praise, worthy of our shouts of victory, and worthy of our banners lifted high.
Many, many people are hurting this time of year. Even those who may look like they have it all together. Pray for others. Ask the Lord to bring to your spirit the name of someone who needs your prayers. Share your joy. Share the news that a baby changes everything. Born into a sin filled heart-broken world He is our joy, our hope and our peace to know that even though this world is cruel, to the saved He is our eternal hope. He will come back for us and take us to be with Him in eternity forevermore! Hallelujah!