| Luke 2:10 – “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.” |
The world today is filled with many things that could cause us to be fearful – urgent health issues and pandemics, political unrest, rising inflation, violence, and drug use: any one of these things could fill us with uneasiness and insomnia. No age group is exempt from what is happening in the world today, and it would be easy for us to lose our joy while watching 24-hour cable news or scrolling social media.
When the angel appeared to the shepherds on the hillside that night, it is understandable that they would be afraid – I certainly would have been! But how wonderful that they were the first to hear the good news of Jesus’ birth! This news was not first given to the important people in society, the ones that others had deemed worthy or special, but to the lowly second-class citizens. This good news of great joy was given to ordinary people as a sign that God’s love was for each of us. This perfect love came to earth to cast out our fears about the future.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for sending your Son to earth for each of us, regardless of our status or riches. Drive away our uncertainty about the future and enter into our celebrations this Christmas season. Help us keep the focus on you. Amen
– Betty Gossell
