Luke 2:10 “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid’ for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:’”

What are the sounds of joy to you?  I think of Carillon bells pealing from every tower and birds singing at the top of their lungs in the early morning, I hear laughter and squeals from small children and belly rolling laughter with tears of joy streaming down grown up faces.  I hear streams flowing and splashing over the rocks in its bed and trees whispering songs with the wind through their leaves.  I cannot imagine what the sound was that the shepherds heard that night in their fields.  I can almost see them sitting quietly in the dark night with only a neighbor shepherd to talk with, an occasional bleat of the sheep; just the usual watching of the flock with an ear listening for predators.  “An angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified.”  I can imagine that!  In an instant the dark night turned brighter than day right in front of their eyes, the angel illuminating the field and their flocks; their robes and their faces.  The message was not lost on them though.  They heard it: “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:” Let the joy of the angels fill your heart today and join mine in songs of praise to God!

Lord,

I sing joy to the world in my soul because of this wondrous gift of Love you sent to us.  Lift our hearts in joy to you; allow us to step away from the hurts and troubles of today and just bask in the joy the angels sang of in the shepherd fields.  I lift our hearts up to you this morning Lord.  Thank you.  Amen.

Luke 1:78 79 “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

These are the last two verses in a passage called Zechariah’s prophecy.  This man had a lot of time to contemplate what the Lord was doing and saying to him and to all his people during his time of being struck dumb.  Are these some of the things he discovered during that time?  Where these things revealed to him during his season of quiet?  Verse 67 says he was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke these words.  I love the vision of gentle love being poured out over God’s people.  He has sought our love since the beginning and now His plan to break through to us is coming into being.  He is giving us a part of Him to gaze upon, to live with on earth, to physically watch and learn from.   As I watch the break of dawn on the east horizon this morning I am struck with the tenderness of the light.  It starts slowly by lessening the darkness in the sky bit by bit until it cannot be contained any longer and the break of the sun beams over the edge of the earth, light become a bright beacon to us all.  It dispels the darkness and allows us to see clearly the path before us.  Jesus is this tender blessed light to our souls.

Lord,

Thank you for your Light, thank you for sending Jesus.  Thank you for John who paved the way and thank you for your words given through Zechariah.  I pray these verses will fill our days with hope and a peace that comes from You alone. Amen.

Isaiah 60:3 “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

I love this time of year.  I love the lighted trees and the music and the spirit of love that spreads, truly, throughout nations.  Gifts will be given to loved ones in just a couple of weeks, all in the spirit of love and giving.  Santa Claus, an icon in so many parts of the world, will visit homes everywhere leaving presents for girls and boys, all in the spirit of giving and love.  Presents are being flown to the far reaches of the world to bring love and joy to children everywhere.  Long ago, a star shone and Magi, or kings, men of importance and knowledge came from another part of the world.  They came to the light, seeing the brightness shining in the sky and knowing this was something worth seeing.  They brought gifts and so as we busily shop and wrap, let us also bring something to honor this gift of heaven.  We were created in His light and through our journey in this life we are called to follow His light.  Whether our path is easy cruising on a smooth paved road, stumbling along in a barren desert or in a forest so thick with trees we struggle to even see the sky, we can come to his light.  Look deep within your soul; it is our souls that will find the true light.  He sent Jesus to be among us so that His redeeming light could shine for the entire world to see.  Trust and know that he brings the brightness of his dawn for all nations; he brings it for you and me.

Lord,

Sometimes your light seems to be so far away and then I remember to search with my heart and not my eyes.  Help me set aside differences and division and open my arms to embrace in love and light.  Use me to share your light with others so that all nations, all people will come.  Amen.

Luke 1:64 “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.”

I have, at times, wished for the luxury of a silent retreat... someday.  I hesitate to call what Zechariah experienced a silent retreat though.  He was struck dumb by an angel after he questioned the message delivered to him.  If the story is written in chronological sequence, he would have been unable to speak for several months.  I can only begin to imagine the thoughts and feelings that Zechariah might have experienced during those months of silence.  Being able to hear conversations but not being able to easily share your thoughts on them.  Conversation in the home would be nil between husband and wife.  There are other methods of communication beyond speech and I imagine Zechariah became an expert at those.  I also imagine he used these months for much introspection.  When God steps into your life in such a big way, it is often a good thing to step back and contemplate it.  Just as God stepped into Zechariah and Elizabeth’s lives he still steps into our lives today.  He has not struck us dumb but it would be good for us to sit and be silent and really hear what he has to say to us today.

Lord,

We live in a world of constant noise.  Help us quiet the noise from the outside and the noise from the inside so that we can come and be silent in your presence.  Thank you for your words to us.  Help us receive them and grow closer to you through them.  I pray in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Matthew 1:19-20 “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace planned to dismiss her quietly.  But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream...”

Our best laid plans sometimes just aren't lined up with God’s plan.  When I read this passage this morning I couldn't help but feel the sorrow and pain Joseph must have been experiencing.  The torment he went through coming to this decision is something we cannot see on the pages but we can easily imagine.  He was a righteous man and he was betrothed to a young maiden.  He had likely been spending time getting to know her and maybe even falling in love with her.  Suddenly he finds that she is with child! It does not say he was angry and he did not lash out in judgment.  He decided to let her avoid the deathly judgment of the law and quietly send her away so she could live.  God had other plans for Mary and Joseph and when He spoke to Joseph in a dream, it was powerful enough to change Joseph’s heart and mind.  God has a way of getting His message through to us doesn't He?  He speaks to us in many ways but do we listen?  When I hear him loud and clear, do I brush it off or do I listen and allow him to change my heart and my mind?  Maybe we could all learn a lesson from Joseph.

Lord,

It is as clear as the ink on the page that you speak to us, you seek us out and give us guidance for our lives.  Forgive our callous hearts and our deaf ears.  Open us to your word and let us truly hear what you have to say to us this day.   Move us into obedience as we seek you and your kingdom.  Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11-12 "'For surely I know the plans I have for you', says the Lord, 'plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.  Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.'"

It is easy for me to look at my children and know that God has great plans for them.  They are precious, intelligent people placed on this earth to make a difference in whatever way God has planned.  I can see it easily.  When I look in the mirror, knowing the good and the bad, the beauty and the ugliness in me, it is much harder for me to see that God would have a plan for me.  Yet, I know God guides me.  When I close off the noise in my mind and in my world, when I focus on His voice, when I ask for His help, I hear His voice and I see his help.  All of the ugliness I see, God has already made beautiful; all of the wounds and hurts have been healed.  When I look through the eyes of God, the scars from my wounds only give me experience, compassion and mercy to share with others who struggle.  God has not harmed us, but He uses us in all of our weakness, for with Him, we can serve Him.  What a blessing to know He waits to hear us call upon him and pray!  He will pour hope into our future.

Lord,

Let us feel your presence without doubt today when we are in prayer to you.  Your presence brings peace beyond all understanding and in the present darkness, we need your peace.  Speak to us, give us hope, and help us to trust in your divine plan.  I ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior.  Amen.

John 1:6-7 “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.”

Here we catch a glimpse of the baby Zechariah and Elizabeth were blessed with.  He has grown up and found his calling.  I wonder what drew people to him.  He lived in the wilderness and dressed in camel fur; he ate locusts and honey.  Did people come out to see John because he was a spectacle?  Did they stay because of what he had to say?  Was it because of his oddities that he gained such a following or was it in spite of his oddities?  One thing is for sure, he got people’s attention.  Everything about him draws attention toward him so he can testify and share his message.  John did his part, he walked the path he was given.  His message has been passed down through the generations even to this day.  We are all called to continue the witness to the light that started so long ago with John.  I don’t dress strangely (although my kids might disagree at times) and I don’t draw people attention to me on purpose.  How do I witness to the light?  How do I spread the Love that came to us on Christmas long ago?  These are the questions I will keep in my heart as a reminder to spread the good news in whatever way God calls me to.

Lord,

The story of John is a call to each of us.  John is not alone in being given the task of witnessing to your Light.  Help our actions and words testify to the Light you have placed in our very souls.  Your Light came so long ago yet it still remains in him and continues in us forever.  Hallelujah and Amen.