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 "A great multitude . . . shouting . . . 'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!'"
-Revelations 19:6-7
All around me, people are walking with a purpose, headed in the same direction. It's Christmas Eve, and I'm wandering around Stockholm, Sweden.
Looking for an adventure, I followed the crowd, and they led me to a church. Delighted with the unexpected opportunity to attend a Christmas Eve service, I entered the sanctuary along with the other worshippers. An American couple sat next to me. They, too, had followed the crowd to this church.
With hushed anticipation, the service began. The music was a glorious celebration of Christmas. As for the sermon, I did not understand a word, but the priest's happiness was obvious. And, I easily comprehended the universal language of the offering plates. During the service, I was surrounded by strangers, but we worshipped as friends.
The dark, dreary afternoon had become a new cherished memory of celebrating Christ's birth. At the end of the service, we sang "Silent Night," a hymn that churches around the world would sing that night.
We are followers, not of the crowd, but of Christ.
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