“I bring you good news of great joy...
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:10, 14
(emphasis added)
It was a night probably like every other night for the shepherds: quiet, lonely, dark, and cold. They were bottom rung on the social ladder. Sheep were their companions and life’s work, the sky their roof, and perhaps a rock sufficed as a pillow. It was a lonely, rugged, and right down hard way to live.
Then Gabriel crashed in with a melody of JOY:
“I bring you good news of great joy…” (Luke 2:10)
The rest of the heavenly choir added a chorus of PEACE:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men…” (Luke 2:14)
Two thousand years later, and we humans (regardless of which rung of society we live on) are still longing for peace and joy.
It’s an eternal truth and timeless desire: we crave peace and we desire joy.
Deep inside, we know it’s more than we deserve. We strive for it, reach for it, and pedal hard to attain it. But it’s elusive, fleeting, difficult to get, and almost impossible to keep. That is, when we try to do it on our own.
And that’s really the point.
The whole message of Christmas and the reason Christ came: We can’t do it on our own! God never intended for us to achieve the peace and joy we desire through our own efforts or merit.
In coming to earth … coming to us … coming to love us and forgive us, God did for us what we can never ever do for ourselves: He brought us peace and joy. God did it all! He brought glory to Himself as He simultaneously brought peace to us.
Does Christmas find you feeling like you are not enough – feeling empty, joyless, and anything but peaceful, no matter how hard you try, how early you get up, how many cookies you bake or gifts you wrap? If so, then welcome to the human race. And congratulations on having a heart that is ready to receive the peace and joy that can only come from above. It can’t be conjured, manufactured, or produced from inside yourself (or from the monumental efforts you make at Christmas … or any other time of the year).
This Christmas, let it all go. Let Him have it. In total abandon, acknowledge your “inner shepherd” – lowly, needy, living a hard life and longing for more. Perhaps lonely, lacking, and having little. Definitely craving peace and joy. And finally, in desperation, crying out to Him as the source for what you need.
It truly can only come from Him.
Every one of us falls into one of two camps: you are God’s child, or you are not His child. Which is it?
You may be His child. You may have given your life to Him long ago, but behaved as if your salvation was just for that day – the day He comes back for us. But peace and joy is for this day, too! Receive it! Grab hold of it! Remind yourself to embrace what you already believe:
Jesus, I know the truth! I know you set me free from all this performing and doing! Today I’m coming back to renew my relationship with You. I’m here today to acknowledge that what saved me for that day is what brings peace and joy for this day. It’s YOU. Not what I do or bring, but what You have done and what You provide. Fill me with peace and joy – again! I love you! I rejoice that I am your child!
You may be masquerading as His child. You may be the good girl. The church lady. The one who grew up in church, has served on every committee, delivered countless casseroles, visited the sick, did the VBS crafts, and even went on the youth mission trip. You know you are a good girl, but is your good, good enough? Is it time to finally, once and for all, declare:
Lord Jesus, I know about You. But I’m ready to know You. If you want my life, then you can have it. I’m finally ready to give it all to you. Nothing held back. I’m weary of working and striving and pretending. I am a sinner. I want to change, but I just can’t do it on my own. I need you. Here’s my life. I am yours.
Happy Christmas, friend!
Peace and joy to you in the name of our blessed Savior, Jesus …
and GLORY to God in the highest!
With more than half the month remaining,
there’s still plenty of time to join us as we Write The WORD in December.
Download your bookmarks and S.O.A.P. study pages,
and finish 2019 reading and writing Reflections for Christmas.
painting: Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerard van Honthorst, circa 1622
