“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:8-20
Burning sands and broken people, weak knees and wicked fools, feeble hands and fearful hearts, these are the words the prophet Isaiah used to describe a world waiting to be saved. The watchmen wait on tiptoe in their towers hoping for a glimpse of their Lord’s return believing he will bring restoration to the ruins. Eager expectation of the King’s return caused his people to live on tiptoe waiting and watching for any indication that he has come to save them. (Is 35:1-10, 52:7-10)
The first signs of the King’s return seemed so far off that those who caught site had to rub their eyes, squint and look again. An old woman pregnant with her first child felt it leap in her womb at the sight of a pregnant teenager. A new star in the sky seen for the first for the first time by a group of wise men from another faith tradition. A field full of shepherds, always the last chosen are the first picked to have a supernatural encounter and are given news of an infant born in a barn, a Savior not just for those who had been watching and waiting but for all people. Squint and look again the signs we are given are often not the ones we are looking for.
Look carefully because if you catch even a glimpse of the coming King the joy you are looking for is sure to follow. Each one who caught a glimpse of the arrival of the coming King experienced great joy. The old woman is filled with God’s spirit and declares herself favored. The wise men are so overjoyed they bring gifts and the shepherds let this good news of great joy lead them to a child in a manger. Squint and look again. Can you see Him? Can you feel the joy rising in your throat?
Like watchmen on the wall getting the first glimpse of rescue, people’s response to the initial sightings of the Savior is to lift their voices in shouts of joy making known the nearness of the One who will save them. Sightings of the Savior produced such great joy that it just had to be shared with all those who might have missed the cues of his coming. Are you having trouble keeping this good news to yourself? Do you feel like you need to shout? Don’t be shy there are others who will take up the shout with you and there is nothing better than a world filled with shouts of joy.
I pray that this Christmas you would catch sight of the Savior who is Christ the Lord. Pay attention to the world in front of you, be aware of leaping from within you, keep your ears open for choirs who sing songs around you. Don’t miss the signs that your Savior is near. Rub your eyes, squint and look again. Stand on tiptoe and get ready to utter shouts of joy for our Lord is near and he is coming to us once again. And according to the scriptures when He comes around gladness and joy overtake us, sorrow and sighing flee away, the desert becomes glad, people become well, weak knees are steadied, feeble hands are strengthened and there is no longer any reason to be afraid for the world is filled with songs of good news of great joy.
