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, behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
December 7, 1941 is a date we in America remember and commemorate as Pearl Harbor Day. To a generation of Americans it represented a rude awakening to the fact that America was being thrust into a war that spanned the globe. It is a day that then president Franklin D. Roosevelt called it “A date that will live in infamy.” For the first time in a very long time, our nation, as a whole, knew fear.
December 7, 1941 sparked one other memorable quote from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and that is “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” Fear comes in many forms. As a child we might have been afraid of the dark, or afraid of the big dog that barked next door. As a young child I had a fear of peacocks. Physically they did not bother me. After all they were pretty to look at. It was their call which to me was a loud, scary, obnoxious sound of “HALP, HALP.” A peacock at friend’s farm scared me once and I just did not like them. My Nana (grandmother to some folks) took me by the hand and helped me to see that they were only birds and there really was no reason to be afraid. When I am disturbed, as I am sure the shepherds were that night, I remember the words of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. When we look at all that can possibly happen to us we are afraid of the here and now. But our focus should be on the long term. Jesus, the promised savior was born of a virgin, lived life with all its’ temptations here on earth, and Jesus died on the cross for our salvation. His, (Jesus’) life and ultimate death and resurrection are how we have eternal life. Jesus paid the price for our sins and reconciled us with the Father. Our worries are ended. God has taken us by the hand and shown us that death is really nothing to be afraid of at all. He is patiently waiting for us to join him. He sends his comforter, in the form of the Holy Spirit to give us the faith we need to grasp onto his grace. We have all elements of the triune God involved here helping us along our life journey. Our ride in life may be turbulent, but the landing will be gentle. Truly, the words of the angel hold as much for us today as they did for the shepherds in their field. “Fear not, behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
As we approach Christmas let us all consider those who do live in fear of what awaits them beyond this life. And as we consider just how fortunate we are in knowing there is nothing to fear for those who accept Jesus as their savior we must remember the words of the angel. The good news is of great joy that will be for all the people. Think of a friend that needs to hear the good news and invite them to join you at the Advent and Christmas services at Grace Lutheran Pocatello. Share the good news with all the people.
PRAYER: Almighty and everlasting God, Your angels shared the good news of the birth of the savior long ago. The angels calmed the hearts of the shepherds with their words. Help us O God to the share those same words with others who live in fear. Guide us to the lost that they may grasp onto Your promise of grace. Help us gather all Your sheep. This we ask in the name of Your Son, our Savior who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit. One God, now and forever. Amen
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