Lessons from the Little Drummer Boy

Ok, so it's getting to be that time of the year. I don't know why, but I have been in the Christmas 'spirit' for weeks now. Maybe it has something to do with being in a new home and wanting to celebrate our first Christmas in B-town. Don't know, but I was listening to Christmas music the other day and one of my favorite little tunes came on - the Little Drummer Boy. As I listened something struck me - we all, everyone of us, can identify with the little drummer boy. Here's the text of the song (without all the Pa rum pum pum pum's) The Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me
A new born King to see
Our finest gifts we bring
To lay before the king
So to honor Him
When we come

Little baby
I am a poor boy too
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum

Mary nodded
The ox and lamb kept time
I played my drum for Him
I played my best for Him
The He smiled at me
Me and my drum

How is it that we are to identify with the little drummer boy? Well, we are all called to give our finest gifts in worship to the king. But, we are poor people with no gifts to bring that are fit to give such a heavenly King. All that we have, we have been given. Our responses in worship, service, love, etc. are done in the power that Christ has given us. The breath we use to sing, the strength we use to serve, even the love we have are all gifts from God (Acts 17:25).

What we offer in worship does not find its source in us. Ultimately, our worship and service and love finds its source in God. Matt Redman captures this truth in one song of his album Facedown. The song is called Gifted Response:

This is a gifted response
Father we cannot come to You by our own merit
We will come in the name of Your son
As He glorifies You
And in the power of Your spirit

We have come to something so mysterious
Too deep for minds to comprehend
Through the open door
Where the angels sing
And the host of heaven are antheming...

And we'll sing the glory of Your name
Celebrate the glories of Your grace
We will worship You, We will worship You
And we'll make Your praise so glorious
Singing songs of everlasting praise
We will worship You, we will worship You

Lets move away from the mindset that we are giving to God something that he needs. We are called to give God glory, but it's not glory he lacks. We simply reflect back to him the glory that is emanating from him. We are called to serve him, but in the power and Spirit he provides. We are called to love him, but with a new heart he places in us. This a humbling situation to be in, but it is a God honoring one. We simply offer back to God what he has blessed us with!