On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshiped him.

Matthew 2:11

I am writing, knowing that in a few weeks when this devotional is posted, I will already have company in my home. I know myself well. I will awaken early and quietly slip to my sunroom with coffee in hand to spend time with my Lord before everyone gets up. And yet, I also know that the list of things to be done will plague my thoughts, making it difficult to concentrate on God’s Word and to pray. 

How many times have I allowed those distractions to take over, to rob me of my blessed time with the One I truly adore? Often I get so caught up on working through a list to create a “perfect” time with my family, that I fail to give worth and honor to the Perfect One. If I have to make a choice today, which will I choose—work or worship? Which will you choose?

O come let us adore Him… Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker (Psalm 95:6).

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power… (Revelation 4:11).  And so, in the busyness of this season, Jesus, I choose to worship. I choose to sit with open Bible and be still before you, the Savior of mankind. Take captive my thoughts, Lord Jesus, so that I might reflect on your greatest act of love, as you set aside your glory, humbled yourself, and became man. You, God, became man that you might bring salvation to whoever believes in you. You came down from heaven to rescue the world from sin and darkness. You came to rescue me! You became like us that we might become like you. You, God, so loved the world that you gave your only Son, so that we who believe in Jesus Christ might have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus, you are God’s greatest gift! 

Jan Burkhart