Is your heart alive with the sounds of the season? One of my favorite movies tells how the hills are alive with the sound of music. Just thinking of it makes my heart want to laugh, to soar, and to sing, with raindrops on roses and bright paper packages wrapped up in ribbons being a few of my favorite things.

With Christmas time being a favorite time of the year, surely our hearts should sing as we celebrate the birth of Christ the King. Just thinking about Jesus makes our hearts want to sing and soar and tell the good news wherever we go, whatever we do, and with whomever we’re with. With Christmas being only weeks away, are our hearts alive with sounds of the season that are pleasing to the Lord or to Satan? It doesn’t even sound right to associate the enemy’s name with Christmas, does it? Yet, the devil does everything in his power to steal, kill, and destroy our joy, especially at this most holy season of the year. He tried to spoil the first Christmas but failed. Is he spoiling yours this year?

God chose faithful people who stood strong when plots to prevent the miracle of Christmas seemed to prevail. Satan’s schemes brought troubles and trials at every turn. Mary and Joseph faced personal and political persecution forcing them to flee to Bethlehem, but their hearts stayed in tune to the sound of God’s voice. Wonder how the climax of the Christmas story would be written if God had called you or me to be a main character? Would we have listened or been too busy to hear and heed God’s call? Would we have believed when God spoke to our hearts of a virgin birth or being an earthly father to God’s Son? Would our hearts have been alive with the sounds that Mary and Joseph experienced?

While reading this story, may hearts be tendered to the sounds of the season, as we honor the birthday of Jesus, God’s only Son, our Lord, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Sounds of joy and peace fill our hearts when we believe in Jesus, live our lives closely connected, and carry out the plans He has for us.

Jesus was born in a lowly manger long ago, but sits by His Father today as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Humbleness, honor, and obedience were sweet sounds He lived by, just as we can when we make right decisions and step in faith to our own calling. Do we believe that Jesus was promised to the people of Israel, came in flesh to dwell among us, announced the coming of the rule of God, gathered disciples and taught them, died on the cross to free us from sin, rose from the dead to give us life and hope, reigns in heaven at the right hand of God, and will come to judge and bring justice to victory? Those are the sound of the seasons of His life here and in heaven.

The sounds of our earthly lives can be filled with love and joy, peace and promise, or chaos and hate, discord and destruction. What sounds fill your heart and home? Would you change your sounds if you knew someone was listening or could see inside? Recently, I loaded my Kia with bowls of homemade soup and a list of folks to visit and share some sonshine with. Entering homes of little ladies sitting alone, wrapped up in a cozy blankets with a tiny tree twinkling, a gentleman whose eyesight is gone but not His love for Jesus, or the man and wife sitting quietly in their living room, holding hands, and hoping her frail body will be healed of cancer humbled me. Sounds in those homes were precious as we prayed and His Spirit soared. However, one visit left me standing on the doorsteps with sadness in my heart. Sounds inside their home spewed outside. They didn’t know I was there to hear the sounds of anger and anxiety, shouting and saying things that can destroy relationships with one another and the Lord. I walked away and whispered a silent prayer, thinking of how it must break our Father’s heart when He sees inside all of our hearts, our homes, our workplaces, our churches…and hears sounds that are not music to His ears.

Reading 1 Corinthians, we find that sounds of the gospel are pleasing to God and bring blessings to believers who walk with the Lord, living in love and harmony with Him and with one another. If your sounds are not in tune to God’s teaching and Jesus’ example of sacrificial love, why not change your song and renew your commitment to Christ today? Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the joy of knowing Jesus and start living in sync with the Savior. Then, you can prepare for the holiday with peace and joy in your heart and celebrate the sacred, special sounds of the season all year long. Let us join together this Christmas, singing songs of praise, giving gifts that honor Jesus, gathering to worship, and seeking God’s way and will in our lives. Let our hearts be alive with sounds of the season that go outside our homes for others to hear. Then, our Father will be well pleased… for these are a few of His favorite things!