Tag Archive - Good News
“What’s New With You?”
One brief, sunny morning a woman looked out her living room window and was amazed to discover a dead mule on her lawn. Immediately she called the sanitation department and asked them to remove the carcass. But by the time the work-crew arrived, she had changed her mind. She gave the men $100.00 each, instructing them to carry the mule upstairs and to deposit it in the bathtub.
After they had dutifully followed her instructions, one of the workers asked why she wanted the dead mule in her bathtub.
She said, “Well, for 35 years my husband has been coming home at night, throwing his coat on the rack, grabbing the newspaper, plopping into the easy chair and asking, ‘What’s new?’ Tonight, I’m going to tell him.” *
Every year we start looking for the “newest” items this Christmas. We want the latest decorations. We want the hottest selling toy. We want the newest cell phone or computer.
But sometimes “What’s new” isn’t what we really want or need.
Perhaps we should look again to the old, old story about how God became a baby. Perhaps we need to hear the familiar words: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:23 (NIV)
Maybe the “old” news is still the best news
*mule story from “The Irrational Season” by Leonard Sweet
At the Cross
His full name was Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, but most people refer to him only by his first name, Rembrandt. He lived between 1606 and 1669 and during those brief years, he became one of the greatest artists in history.
If you were to look at Rembrandt’s painting of “The Three Crosses,” your eyes would be drawn to the center cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you would be impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes would drift to the edge of the painting and catch sight of another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. This figure is Rembrandt himself. The painting was not only a work of art but a statement of his faith. He was telling the world that it was not only the sins of the world that nailed Jesus to the cross, but his sins too.
Rembrandt realized a very important truth. It is easy to get so focused on the cross that we forget that we had a part in this divine drama. We must see ourselves at the cross. We must realize our part in the crucifixion of our savior. Because until we do, we will never experience the joy of the resurrection.
As we go through this time of Lent, let us remember that we are in the painting as well. We each had a part. But we must also remember that is good news because it means our sins are paid in full.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. ” (1 Peter 2:24–25, NIV)
Have I Got Good News For You!
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
Luke 2:8–10 (NLT)
A little boy in a Christmas program had only one line to say, “Behold, I bring you good tidings.” After the rehearsal he asked his mother what “tidings” meant. She told him tidings meant “news.” When the program was performed, he was so scared before the large congregation that he forgot his line. Finally the idea came back to him and he blurted out, “Hey, have I got good news for you!”
Christmas, simply put, is “Good News.” Regardless of all the hype and commercialism, it is still “Good News.” In spite of all the hectic schedules and exhaustive work and activities, it is still “Good News.”
Why is it “Good News?” He loved us so much He couldn’t bear the thought of eternity without us, so, He sent Jesus into our world. He knew that even our best intentions will fall short of filling the emptiness of our hearts, so He sent His Son. So, regardless of your opinion about Christmas and all of its trappings, this is really “Good News.”
This Christmas, let’s celebrate this “Good News.”
Prayer:
Holy Father,
Thank You for the Good News of Your Son. We are glad You sent Him. We rejoice that You love us so much.
In Jesus’ name. Amen
LET CHRISTMAS COME!!
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Revelation 22:20 (NLT)
In C. S. Lewis’ children’s book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a young girl named Lucy mysteriously enters a magical land called Narnia. It is winter there and while wandering around in the snow she meets a faun named Mr. Tumnus. In the course of their conversation he mentions the White Witch.
“The White Witch?” asks Lucy, “Who is she?”
“Why,” said Mr. Tumnus, “It is she that has all Narnia under her thumb. It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!”
Think of that indeed! It would be terrible always having winter and never Christmas. What a dreary place! There is, thankfully, a happy ending to the book. Narnia is reclaimed and Christmas finally comes with Spring soon after.
However, even though Narnia is a magic land in a book, many people live in such a land. Christmas never really comes to their hearts. They often make the remark that for some reason unknown to them, they “just haven’t been able to get the Christmas Spirit this year.” It is always winter and never Christmas.
Christmas finally does come to Narnia when Aslan, the Lion, the true ruler of Narnia, returns with his power and love for his creatures.
The same is true for us. The only time Christmas (not just the holiday, but the real thing) enters our hearts is when Christ, our true ruler, comes in with the love of God.
Is it always winter and never Christmas with you? Spend time in worship. Read the story again and again. Ask Jesus Christ to bring the warmth of God’s love into your heart today, and let it be Christmas this year.
Prayer:
Dear Lord God,
As Jesus came so long ago to a stable in Bethlehem, let Him come today to our hearts. May there be room this time.
In our Savior’s name, Amen.
Reflection
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:19 (NIV)
Advent is a time of reflection.
Our scripture says that Mary treasured and pondered these things. She considered all that the shepherds said concerning the angels and their message. She thought about what it all meant? Who was this child? What were they saying? How did it affect her?
We are called to ponder as well. We must reflect upon the angel’s message? What does it mean to me and my world? What is this child to me? Why did He come the way He did and how should that affect me?
We are also called to reflect on our actions. Does all our busyness add or subtract from the joy and peace this child was meant to bring. Does our reaction to gifts reveal selfishness of flesh rather than the giving Love of God? There is much to ponder, but the most important item to reflect upon is this: Do I take time to adore Him?
Prayer:
Holy Father, remind us to take time to reflect on Your most magnificent gift. Forgive us when we rush through Advent without considering the journey.
In Christ’s name. Amen.
He Climbed In With Us
John 1:14 (The Message)
The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
A grandfather found his grandson, jumping up and down in his playpen, crying at the top of his voice. When the boy saw his grandfather, he reached up his little hands and said, “Out, Grampa, out.”
It was only natural for the grandfather to reach down to lift him out of his predicament, but as he did the mother of the child stepped up and said to her baby “No, you are being punished — so you must stay in.”
The grandfather was at a loss to know what to do. The child s tears and little hands reached deep into his heart. Yet the mother s discipline must not be taken lightly.
So love must find a way. The grandfather could not take the grandson out of the playpen, so he climbed in with him.
Isn’t this what God did for us? We couldn’t get out of this world ourselves so He sent Jesus to climb in with us. He left all of the glory and freedom of heaven and wrapped our injured, sinful flesh around Himself. He did all of this so that He could be with us and that we could be with Him. How amazing is such love.
Prayer:
Gracious Father,
Thank You for climbing in with us. Thank You that Your love found a way and His name is Jesus.
In His blessed name we pray. Amen.
No Time For Jesus?
But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted.
John 1:10-11 (NLT)
I heard the story of a woman who was very busy on Christmas Eve. She had her little son with her as she ran from store to store. She had just come from the supermarket and now was battling her way through a department store for some last minute gift buying. She had made her purchases and was looking around for her son so that she could rush home and finish decorating the house.
The little boy was looking at a manger scene. He saw his mom and yelled out: “Mommy, look! It’s Jesus! There’s the baby Jesus in his crib.”
Quite impatiently the mother grabbed him by the arm and said, “Come on, we’re in a hurry. We don’t have time for that!”
Hurry is the number one enemy of the Christian life and the number one destroyer of Christmas joy. Hurry robs us of the opportunity to let God speak to us through the wonder of a child. Hurry steals the power of the message of hope that comes in a manger. Hurry makes us rush past God as He tries to get our attention.
Hurry keeps us from thinking about God’s wondrous love as we decorate our homes. It keeps from receiving His indescribable gift as we try to buy for those on our lists.
So what do we do? I doubt that we can bring all of it to a stop. We can try to slow down and would probably benefit from doing so. But I think the best solution at the moment is to ask God for eyes of grace so that we can catch a glimpse of the Holy moments of Christmas. Those times when we see the wonder in a child’s face. When we pause at a nativity scene and remember that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to us. When we actually listen to the words of a Christmas carol and hear the message of God’s love.
Make time for Jesus this Christmas. You’ll be glad you did.
Prayer:
Holy Father,
Forgive us when we forget You. Forgive us when Christmas is nothing more than another item on our to-do list. Touch our hearts again with Your love and let us see the Savior once again.
In Christ’s name, Amen
Walk or Fly?
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:12–14 (NIV)
A little girl, dressed as an angel in a Christmas pageant was told to come down the center aisle. The child asked, “Do you want me to walk or fly?”
Christmas is a special time. A time of wonder and awe. A time of hope. Not the kind of hope we have when we wish things could be better or people would act nicer. Not the kind of hope we have wishing that our dreams will come true.
No, Christmas’ hope is far more certain. Christmas, you see, is a time of possibilities. It is a reminder that wonderful things can happen. Hearts can change. Impossible things can happen. Angels can fly.
How can I be so sure? Is it because I’m thinking positively enough or someone sprinkled magic dust on me? No. I believe that the impossible can happen because it already has. On that first Christmas, God became flesh and lived in our world. And because He did, He promised us that we could become like Him.
We live in a world where little angels can fly. I know it because God became a little baby and changed my life.
Prayer:
Holy Father,
Thank You that in You all things are possible. Thank You that You can make angels fly and change a heart like mine. But most of all, thank You that Your Son became flesh.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
LOOK IN THE CLOSET
“For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes.”
2 Peter 1:16 (NLT)
Little Johnny’s parents were puzzled when he announced that he no longer wanted the list of toys he had included on his Christmas gift list.
“Didn’t you write Santa Claus asking for them,” his mother asked.
Johnny answered, “Yes, but I looked in the closet the other day and I’ve already got them!”
Isn’t that wonderful news for Johnny? All the presents he wanted, he’s already got. What more could a child ask for?
You want to know even better news? Every thing you wanted for Christmas, you’ve already received as well. You’ve wanted peace, deep inner peace, from the nagging of the world? You’ve got it! You’ve wanted joy, a contentment with life? You’ve got that too. You’ve needed hope when facing discouraging setbacks. It’s here! They’re all found in Jesus Christ.
When God sent His son into our world, He was meeting every need that we would ever have. We do not have to wait for some future time for God to work in our lives. He’s here. He’s waiting. All we need to do is to look in the closet and see. He’s already yours.
Prayer:
Holy Father,
Thank You for the wonderful good news of Your Son. Thank You for giving us everything we needed on that first Christmas. May we have eyes to see His glory this Christmas.
In our blessed Savior’s name. Amen
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