Pastors have the best seats on Christmas Eve! There, I said it. Or wrote it.
You may come early to save your row of chairs or your favorite pew, but pastors have unequivocally the best view during Christmas Eve worship.
Why?
Because we can see the mass of glowing faces throughout the sanctuary on that night in the darkness holding their flickering candle. Each face of our congregation...whose hearts are in their eyes that night. And whose hearts are brightened by the Light of the World.
The illumination of these precious faces... whom you know, as only a pastor can know; have been ... hurt, strengthened, betrayed, healed, wounded, forgiven, lost, renewed, or found during the past year... and yet. And yet, each face glows. Each face glows... in the warm candlelight.
That moment for me, as a pastor, when we hold our candles high during the last verse of Silent Night bonds me, yet again, to my flock. And perhaps, even more so, sinks my soul deeper into the unending basin of our God's unending love.
Only a God like ours can bring such a sweet celebration into the darkness of our world.
Only our God can love us to such an extent that we can sing our praise on a night of all nights..,illumined yet again with hope.
Yes, truly, pastors have the best seats on Christmas Eve because we catch a glimmer of heaven on earth.
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