The news presenter asks the physician, “What can we do this Christmas to make us safe?” The physician responds with the usual mitigating advice. The Christmas angel’s message is, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10,11)
For over two years the pronouncements of newscasters and politicians have warned people of bad news of great fear for all the people. Despite the injection of trillions of dollars, the availability of many medications, tests, mandates, lawsuits, closing of churches, businesses and schools, the cancellation of international travel and the impositions of quarantines, the pandemic is still with us. How can we overcome the anxiety of depressing news?
Christmas reminds us that in the midst of darkness a great light has dawned. Babies are born. God is still doing his salvation work. Man proposes, but God disposes. No matter how sophisticated we have become, how advanced our science, how effective our health care system, we cannot control the spread of disease. God is sovereign. He does what he wills. He tries to get our attention in one way or another.
The good news is that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3;16) Do you believe in eternal life or only in this mortal life? We can gain the whole world and still lose our soul. We can live seventy, eighty, or ninety years, some even to one hundred, but we can be joyless, and full of anxiety and fear. We may take all the mitigating steps to keep us safe, and neglect facing up to our mortality, our divine accountability of how we have lived our lives, and eternal life.
God has come in Jesus and calls us to put our trust in him, follow him and enter into the kingdom of heaven. “God sent forth his Son, born of woman to redeem us so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters and become heirs of God.” (Galatians 4;4-7) As heirs of God he showers us with Christmas gifts of faith, hope and love. He sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to give us the victory over fear so that we might be conquerors over all that might distress us, any trouble or danger, and even death. This is the good news we need to hear. Drown out the depressing news with the truths of the Gospel.
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear his coming.
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel.
(Phillips Brooks (1835-1903)
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