There are people these days who are reluctant to listen to the news because frankly, good news can seem in short supply. Our approach to Christmas 2020 reminds us to consider again the message that is the central theme of Christmas. It is recorded in Luke 2:10,11: “I bring you good news of great JOY for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” What a relief to encounter good news when there has been an endless litany of news reports that have been both unsettling and anxiety producing. This is not just everyday, ordinary good news. This good news is extraordinary and extreme. It is good news of great JOY! When we light the third candle in our Advent Wreath this Sunday, it will be the candle of JOY. The good news of great JOY comes with the birth announcement of a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. Typically, birth announcements bring delight and happiness to the family and friends of those who are welcoming a newborn baby. This unusual birth announcement, delivered by an angel, is good news for all people. And “all people” extends to us today. God sent Jesus into our world to be a Saviour to all who would receive Him. We can approach our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER this week with the message of great JOY ringing in our ears. We do not pretend that there are not ongoing news items that raise our concern. We do not deny that our hearts still carry burdens and have reasons to feel sad at Christmas. Still, there is cause for great JOY in knowing the exceedingly good news that a Saviour, God’s Son has been born and has changed our world forever! Please plan to come with JOY to our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow, December 9th at 1 pm. Here is the prayer we can lift up to God:
Loving God and God who gives us reason for great JOY, thank You for sending Jesus to be our Saviour. Thank You that the JOY that the birth of Jesus introduces is great JOY. Thank You that this good news is not just for a few select people, but rather it is for all people. We are so grateful to be included. We cannot express what it means to have heard your message of good news of great JOY and to have chosen to respond. We cannot imagine missing out on the good news of Jesus and thinking that we had to face the bad news of this world alone. Forgive us, we pray, for living our lives with JOY absent. Forgive us for not holding on to the great JOY that You have arranged for us to experience. Knowing what Your good news of great JOY has meant to us, please arrange for us to share the good news that Jesus Christ is born. We think of how JOY that comes from you has the potential to lift us up to You and to cause us to want more of You. We pray now that as we find delight in JOY from You, that we will not be insensitive to those who are hurting; those who are discouraged; those who have felt that life is unfair. Give us deeper understanding of the JOY filled significance that You have come to be our Saviour. Show us from what we need to be saved. Please save us from all the manifestations of sin: selfishness, bitterness, judgment, jealousy, unforgiveness, desire for revenge. Please replace these JOY stealers with the abundance of Your great JOY. We do not want to regret time wasted and to have opportunities for Your great JOY slip from our grasp. Thank You God that You are gracious in continuing to reveal Yourself to us and for Your persistent invitations to taste Your great JOY. Our God there is such potential for JOY as we try to comprehend Your Master plan to send Your Son to be our Saviour. Much of our attention in recent months has been on the effects of Covid. When we spend our time thinking about Covid, we are not thinking about You. We recognize that the bad news can be so loud that the good news gets drowned out. We want to keep on hearing Your message of good news for all the people. Thank you for the way that Your good news of great JOY sets us free. Thank You God that Your JOY inspires us to turn to You and to surrender each new day over to You. We want to keep learning more about Your gift of JOY. We see that JOY can be our experience now. We do not have to wait for JOY and we thank You for this reality. We pray that we will taste JOY, great JOY in fresh ways this Christmas season. Lord God, may JOY from You motivate all of us to step forward to receive every aspect of the good news that comes from Jesus, Your Son and our Saviour! In His Name. AMEN