Worship the Beloved with a Kiss

I know, I know…Christmas proper has come and gone. Still, it’s nice to linger a little longer. Why rush the season away?

I recently read the lyrics from a carol titled, “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the Beloved with a kiss.

Imagine a young mom cradling her newborn and kissing him tenderly on his cheek, on his forehead, and on the tip of his teeny nose. But this is no ordinary baby. Neither are these run-of-the-mill mommy kisses. They’re sweet, private expressions of gratitude to almighty God incarnate, the infant she’d wrapped in swaddling clothes and nursed to sleep.

Mary worshiped Jesus for leaving heaven’s glory to dwell among mankind. She worshiped Him as the promised Messiah. She worshiped Him for coming to bring hope to hurting men and women. She did it without fanfare or before a public eye. She did it quietly, perhaps alone, and with a simple but meaningful act of affection.

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,     
Worshiped the Beloved with a kiss.

We, too, can worship the Beloved with a kiss, figuratively speaking. In those quiet, private moments when no one’s watching, we can whisper words of praise and adoration to the One whose faithfulness is new every morning. We can breathe words of prayer to thank Him for keeping His promises. We can lavish our love on Him by expressing gratitude for all He’s done and will do in us and through us as He reveals more of Himself to us.