The Ornament

Devotions
Written by Matt Tullos
 Christmas in Heaven
By Matt Tullos

“To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant
accommodations here.”—Jonathan Edwards

In the midst of Christmas, we often forget the story of Jesus is not simply a dusty history
book of what God has done. Christmas is only the beginning of an epic of grace. The
story of Jesus is alive and continually moving toward a glorious celebration! And we get
to be there with Him! As we sing the words of the song “Christmas in Heaven,” we are
singing history yet made, but certainly as real as the breath we breathe. We will celebrate
with loved ones—heroes and victors in the greatest ticker-tape parade of all time!
Imagine! Prepare! Revel in it! It’s going to happen, and we’ll get to be there!

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had
passed away, and the sea existed no longer. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:

Look! God’s dwelling is with men, and He will live with them.
They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the
previous things have passed away.

“Then the One seated on the throne said, ‘Look! I am making everything new.’ He also
said, ‘Write, because these words are faithful and true.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty from
the spring of living water as a gift. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his
God, and he will be My son’” (Revelation 21:1-7).1

Do you know someone that needs to hear about this future celebration?

Pray for this person, and look for opportunities to share this incredible certainty.

1
Scripture quotation taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
 Christmas Is Normal?
By Matt Tullos

The word normal and Christmas rarely appear in the same sentence or the same family. The
question we have to ask is, “What’s normal?” When you visit your extended family, chances are
that you will most likely all bring presents, but you also bring baggage.

Go through the checklist:

Cancer, unplanned pregnancy, new friends, new challenges, accidents, bitterness, job changes,
terminations, new romances, depression, and grief—I bet your family has a load of “not
normal”!

It’s comforting to know that nothing was normal about Jesus’ birth. Some certainly called
Mary’s pregnancy illegitimate. The wise men went on an extended road trip and had to take an
alternate route than originally planned, and the lodging facilities were anything but normal. The
shepherds didn’t exactly have a normal night. God doesn’t promise normal, although we often
pray for it. However, God does offer extraordinary!

Listen to these extraordinary promises:

God performed extraordinary miracles through Paul. (Acts 19:11)

“Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think—according to the
power that works in you” (Ephesians 3:20).1

“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and
not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

“Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And
we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him” (1 John 3:1).

Come to think of it, normal is not just nonexistent; it’s overrated. We are far too easily pleased
with the same old same old!

1
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Christmas Is Normal?—1
C. S. Lewis reminds us: “Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-
hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us,
like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine
what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased.”2

What extraordinary thing are you seeking God to do in your life this Christmas?

Where do you need God’s exceeding power and grace?

Are you looking forward to God doing extraordinary things through this performance?

2
C. S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory.”

Christmas Is Normal?—2
 The Ornaments We Treasure
By Matt Tullos

“Collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys,
and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will
be full of light” (Matthew 6:20-22).1

We hear a lot about the word consume during Christmas. What will consumers buy this
year? What’s the consumer confidence? Christmas is often consumed in giving and
getting, which can be all consuming.

Christmas can become more about economy than spirituality. This is sad, but very true.

Luke tells us that Mary’s treasure was different. After the story of shepherds, angels,
stables, and journeys, Luke says that Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her
heart. Mary knew that the greatest treasures are not found in the abundance of things, but
in the adventure of being a part of God’s plan.

What are you treasuring this year?

1
Scripture quotation taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
 Remember and Reflect
By Matt Tullos

“Each Christmas Eve since, as a family we’ve taken time to reflect on the changes the
year has brought us, and thank God for the Son He sent us, as well as the promise of
eternal, abundant life that was yet to come. That’s one gift that will not change and
cannot be taken away.”1

What is Christmas really about? It’s the message we sing; it’s the story we tell.

In the midst of hopelessness that sometimes seems to creep into the dark recesses of our
minds, we are given the hope that God will renew the deadness, the lost dreams, and the
passions that brought us into a relationship with Him.

God always comes bearing gifts.

What gifts has God given our church?

What gifts has God given you?

Christmas is a celebration of restoration. The peace of Christ can invade every

relationship in our world.

What broken relationships are you praying for this Christmas?

Christmas is about freedom.

“While we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. For
rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone
might even dare to die” (Romans 5:6-7).2

Wow! Christ lived and died for us. God’s grace really is amazing, isn’t it? Pray together
as a choir or with your family. Thank Him for the eternal gifts we received with the
advent of Christ’s coming.

1
From The Ornament, “Scene 2c/The Original Gift (Part 2),” 64.
2
Scripture quotation taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
 Take a Break and Pray
By Matt Tullos

“As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you”
(1 Samuel 12:23).1

So often, the urgent, frenetic pace we experience at Christmas keeps us away from the most
important things. Perhaps at the top of the list of things that suffer is our prayer life. Can you
imagine celebrating a birthday without speaking to the one whose birthday we celebrate? It
happens every year at Christmas. This can be a powerful time to connect with God. And what
about the presentation? What do you want God to do through this experience? So many times,
talented people are so busy learning parts, hitting notes, and gathering props that they are simply
praying that old familiar prayer: “Lord, just let me get through this!” Take a moment and pray
for God to do amazing things.

Prayer List:
• Audience
• Actors
• Church
• Musicians
• Leaders
• Your Pastor
• Commitments
• The unchurched
• The spiritual seekers
• The hurting who will experience The Ornament
• (Add your prayer request.)

Pray this Christmas prayer:

Lord, may we not be like the Bethlehem visitors, so busy with the day-to-day tasks and census
commitments that we fail to notice the presence of God.

Lord, may we not be like the innkeeper, giving the best rooms to mortals and giving God our
stable.

Lord, may we not be like Herod, shedding the blood of the innocent to secure our personal
kingdom. Remind us that when we attack the innocence of babes, we are attacking the nature of
God.

Lord, may we not be like beloved Zacharias, praying fervently for the impossible, yet asking how
when God surprises us with the answer of our dreams.

May we never forget that this God-with-us Savior is here, and He has invited us to good news
and great joy.

1
Scripture quotation taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
 The Bleak Midwinter
By Matt Tullos

“There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and
devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had
been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the
Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents
brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon
took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:

‘Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, according to Your word.
For my eyes have seen Your salvation.
You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples—
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel.

“His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him. Then Simeon
blessed them and told His mother Mary: ‘Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall
and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed—and a sword will pierce
your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’” (Luke 2:25-35).1

Can you feel the sadness of a mother, reminded once again that this blessing would bring
heartbreak when she heard those words, “And a sword will pierce your heart”?

Reproach…
Fear…
Uncertainty…
Amazement…
Moments where life seemed to spin wildly out of control.

We see Mary sheltering her baby from the sword of an angry demonic ruler named
Herod. In order to rid himself of the King to be, Herod gave instructions to kill all boys in
and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under. Mary was a warrior.

Can you hear the wails of those young mothers? Their dreams dashed in moments. God
knows the hearts of motherhood destroyed. Dreams never to come true. God knew. The
burden of emptiness…the shattering of hopes.

Mary’s Son would be spared, but only for a season. A cross was waiting for her Son, too.
But still He was Mary’s boy.

The characters in The Ornament bring a truckload of adversity, joy, heartbreak, and
uncertainty to the family Christmas gathering. Certainly, like Mary, our hearts are pierced
by the uncertainty of life. What are you facing today that is piercing your heart?

1
Scripture quotation taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
 The Real Ornaments of Christmas
By Matt Tullos

The Ornament of Laughter

“A joyful heart is good medicine,
 but a broken spirit dries up the bones”
(Proverbs 17:22). 1

The Ornament of Listening

During this holiday season, listen more than you speak. Ask questions and really focus on
the words of the people in your family. Put down the BlackBerry®, the laptop, and the
cell phone.

The Ornament of Affection

Look for opportunities to embrace hurting people and to speak affirming words. It’s the
way Jesus shared His love. Let’s celebrate His birth through pats on the back, cordial
affection, and words of encouragement.

The Ornament of Written Affirmation

Don’t give this job to Hallmark®. Write down a blessing to the people in your life, letting
them know that you are thankful for them.

Listen to Paul’s words of affection for the Philippians:

“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all
of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day
until now. I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to
completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to think this way about all of
you, because I have you in my heart” (Philippians 1:3-7).

The Ornament of Service

Perhaps more than anything you do this Christmas, a well-timed favor speaks eloquently
of your love.

The Ornament of Prayer

Pray for your loved ones, and let them know you pray for them.

1
All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

The Real Ornaments of Christmas—1

This Christmas…

I promise not to take myself so seriously, remembering that God made the hippo and the
hammerhead shark.

I promise to look at all the incredible blessings that are buried under shopping lists and
party invitations, and behind the billboards that blur across the windshield as I shift into
fifth on the open road.

I will remember that Jesus took naps, even during high gale warnings.

I will let myself off the hook when critical remarks fly my direction. If I wanted to judge
my life on the opinions of others, I chose the wrong Savior.

I will not attend a dress rehearsal, chaperone a youth event, get a root canal, and stand in
line at the Department of Motor Vehicles in the same week.

I will give more than I get this Christmas. I can’t keep it anyway. Remember that God is
planning a huge end-of-the-earth bonfire. Even the antique doilies my wife bought for
next to nothing on eBay® will be ashes.

I will remember that this life is not predictable. It is best lived in a state of dangerous
wonder rather than linear monotony.

I will NOT try to figure it all out today, and I really don’t expect you to do so either.

I will make it job #1 to hang on for dear life to my family, my friends, my mission,
and my Jesus. Everything else I’ll move to the back of the line.

The Real Ornaments of Christmas—2

 What Makes Christmas
By Matt Tullos

God knows the flurry of activity, the connections we feel, and the worship we experience
at Christmas. It’s unique. As we make our journey through this Christmas season, what
are you asking God to birth in your life?

Are you willing to journey with Christ beyond Bethlehem? Very few people are willing
to take that step. Few people are so in love with Jesus that they will follow Him through
every chapter of their lives. A part of the journey is being honest and transparent with
Jesus. He urges us to take off the mask of religion and enter into relationship.

John Wesley said it this way:

“To abandon all, to strip one’s self of all, in order to seek and to follow Jesus Christ,
naked to Bethlehem, where he was born; naked to the hall, where he was scourged; and
naked to Calvary, where he died on the cross, is so great a mercy, that neither the thing,
nor the knowledge of it, is given to any, but through faith in the Son of God.”1

This journey requires absolute surrender to Him.

Some might say, like Henry, “How do I go on? I don’t know how to do this. Why didn’t
You take me first?”2

You’ve no doubt felt his despair at one time or another. How will you follow Christ this
Christmas? What is the ornament of your faith going to communicate?

The writer of Hebrews emboldens us to keep going. He calls out to us like a coach in the
final seconds of a ball game:

“Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay
aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race
that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who
for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down
at the right hand of God’s throne” (Hebrews 12:1-2).3

Pray that, as we sing, we will encourage the downtrodden—the ones on which life has
taken its toll.

Today I’m praying for…

1
John Wesley, “A Plain Account of Christian Perfection,” in The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, Volume 8
(New York: J. & J. Harper, 1827), 60.
2
From The Ornament, “Scene 4: Soup Kitchen/Inner Thoughts,” 108.
3
Scripture quotation taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.