Luke 2:9-10 And
an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear
not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the
people.”
Here we are, on
the cusp of Christmas day. My e-mail in-box is being bombarded with last minute
offers of free shipping, fantastically reduced prices, etc. Each advertisement
is heralded as being vital to my Christmas shopping. It’s as if they think I had been hiding in a
closet and did not know that Christmas was just a scant few days away. One more
gift and I am done!
Can
you think of something you have seen that was so absolutely beautiful, so
brilliant, so stunning that it took your breath away? And oh-by-the-way you
cannot take the easy road and say it was your wife/husband/child/significant
other. I am talking about something that almost defies description. If you have, then congratulations are in
order. If not, then welcome to the club. The glory of the Lord, in my mind,
would be something that is not just seen. It is more along the lines of
something that is experienced. It would be, as described in Luke 2:9-10 as an experience so
overwhelming that it causes a strong emotional response. It’s an experience that
goes to the very core of our being. The angel appearing in the presence of the
shepherds and immediately reassuring them with the words, “fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be
for all people.” Thinking about the
message and the bearer of the message. Which
to you would have been more profound in nature? My vote is the message. Sure,
an angel showing up is significant. But the news that a Savior has been born in
Bethlehem was the real news. The news of a Savior was, and still is, a complete
game changer not just for the shepherds but for all mankind. And the brilliance
of that same message shines even today. Christmas is a time for being reminded
of the Son of God coming to earth in the form of a newborn baby. The gift of
salvation for all mankind is the gift that has been delivered. It is also a
gift to be shared with all who do not know of Jesus. Please, share the most
stunning news of all with family, friends, and those who do not know of the
gift of grace. That is the breath-taking glory of God which all need to see
this Christmas.
PRAYER: Father we thank You for Your Son.
We thank You for the baby born in a manger. In a world where the birth of a
simple child is often taken for granted, we cherish the birth of our Savior
Jesus Christ. Help us to share the good news of Jesus with all who are in need
to hearing of Your Glory. We give You thanks in the name of Your Son, Jesus,
who with the Father and the Holy Spirit are one God, now and forever. Amen
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