Love God Greatly - the Greatest Gift GivenSample

Praise the Lord!

Read: Psalm 113; Luke 1:46–55

SOAP: Psalm 113:1–2

“Praise the LORD. 

Praise, you servants of the LORD, 

praise the name of the LORD. 

May the LORD’s name be praised 

now and forevermore.”

Today is a day for great celebration! Our Savior has arrived—the King of kings and Lord of lords! Our Redeemer has been born, and we get to join with angels in heaven as we sing His praises. Before the gifts are opened, before the meals are shared, before the carols are sung, sing praise to God, for He alone is worthy. 

Praise God for the gifts of hope, faith, joy, and peace He has given us. Praise Him for the glorious Gift of His Son, Jesus. Praise Him for all He has done and the accounts in Scripture that tell of His goodness, mercy, and love. Praise God for all He has done in your life, sing back to Him the story He has written in your life. Praise Him for the ways He has saved you, helped you, rescued you, loved you, healed you, redeemed you, and swapped sorrow for joy.

Praise God for loving us so much that He would do anything, across thousands of years, in the lives of countless men and women, to make His plan for our salvation work out perfectly. Praise Him that the salvation He offers is a gift, not something we can earn or work for, but a gift that is freely given. 

Praise Him, like Mary, “because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (Luke 1:49). Rejoice, friends! Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus—the greatest Gift given by our good and perfect Giver. 

Prayer

God, all of Your gifts are good and perfect. Thank You for sending Your Son to save us and for offering each of us the opportunity to accept your gift of salvation. Thank You for the gifts of hope, faith, joy, and peace that You have given us—gifts for today and eternity. Amen.