December 24, 2003

In Luke 2:7-11 we are told: “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

What a birth announcement for the shepherds who were carrying out their job as shepherds. Do you ever wander the expressions on their face when an angel comes and tells them the Promise God made in Genesis 3:15 has come true. That the God they believe has fulfilled the Promise He made to Israel hundreds of years before.

Imagine, the God who carried Israel through the divided water, who provided food in the wilderness, and the God who consistently forgave Israel of her wandering heart and devotion.

We too at this time of the year go back and remember how God came to us. To each one who desires to believe in the wonderful Christmas miracle, God has appointed you to fear not in the world we live in. The world didn’t receive Jesus from the very beginning. The world did not want to allow Jesus the Son of God to be worshipped.
Herod in Matthew 2:3-4 “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.”

Today when a person becomes brand new in Jesus they will always have someone not rejoicing about what God has done in their hearts. Just as Jesus was not received, the work God has done and is doing may not be received by others. So we must recognize that we too are representatives in the world for Jesus. Every part of our being has life through Him. Every thought we have is held captive to His will. Every work we do is an empowerment of His Spirit in our lives.

Celebrate His nativity! Celebrate His humanity! Celebrate His Life! Celebrate He gave His life so that you and I could be set free from our world’s standards! Celebrate His resurrection power that we too will experience when our earthly journey is complete!

Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing…