Praise the Lord, all nations;
Psalm 117:1–2
Laud Him, all peoples!
For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.
Praise the Lord!
I grew up in the Canadian prairies, “the land of the living skies,” where the sunsets inflame the unobstructed horizon, the stars pepper the massive night canopy, and the northern lights dance in the dark. Although not typically considered as such, it is a place of natural beauty, uniquely curating God’s creative handiwork.
To my shame, however, it took my moving away to fully appreciate the backdrop of my childhood. While there I remained unimpressed, unmoved, and largely uninspired. Was this because I was especially calloused, self-absorbed, and distracted? Maybe. But more likely it was because familiarity breeds apathy. The more we’re exposed to something (even something fantastic!) the less special that something can become.
This is a perennial danger for the long-time follower of Jesus Christ, particularly when it comes to his history-shaping birth.
We hear it every year: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us” (Isa. 9:6), “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), and “when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). Mangers and Magi, angels and announcements, a star and a Saviour—same old, same old.
May it never be! How can we be unimpressed by the historical arrival of the long-awaited serpent-crushing Messiah? How can we be unmoved by God graciously wrapping himself in suffocating humanity to rescue sinful humanity? How can we be uninspired by the miraculous, mind-bending reality of the incarnation? Indeed, the first advent of Christ is a uniquely curated masterpiece of God’s beautiful and loving handiwork.
The little book you hold in your hands is an attempt by God’s people to fight the potential apathy brought on by our familiarity with the extraordinary. May our hearts sing the familiar song this season: “Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!”
It has been my privilege to serve and grow alongside the saints at Oakridge Bible Chapel for the last six years and to see and be the recipient of their love, thoughtfulness, grace, encouragement, and sincerity. It brings me joy to think that some of that will now be extended to you through what they have written in the following pages.
Glory to God in the highest!
Josiah Boyd
* Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, ©The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1995. Used by permission.
** The above was taken from Glory to God in the Highest: A Christmas Devotional (Oakville: Proclamation, 2024).
By job title, Alice is the office administrator at Oakridge. But her behind-the-scenes efforts go far beyond that! She is actively involved in the leadership team for the Tuesday evening women's bible study, she is on the mission committee, and she has recently both stepped into the leadership of church bridal and baby shower celebrations, and started teaching in our Ozone kids program. Oh, and if you see any special seasonal or holiday decorations around the church, it's a safe bet that Alice was involved!