Daily Encouragement

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”  (Luke 2:13-14, NIV)

Christ is God’s gift to us.

Of all days set aside for the giving of gifts: Birthdays, weddings, graduations, just to name a few occasions where gifts are given; Christmas is the king of gift-giving days.  Yet, many gifts presented today will be put-up or put-away because the season is not right for the gift’s use; other gifts will be returned because the gift isn’t the right color or size.

Sad to say, we have the same choices about God’s gift to us.  We receive God’s gift gladly, but determine that it is not the right season for the gift.  (Maybe when we’re older, or “more ready,” we reason.)  Others of us will exchange the time that getting to know Christ requires for other pursuits and past times.

As today presents opportunities to reflect on Christ, the gift God gives to us; consider the ways His gift — through you — can glorify God in the highest heaven; and promote peace on this earth.  Only God’s gift provides us His help for this life; and an enduring hope for the life to come.

“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.”  (2 Corinthians 9:15, KJV) Merry Christmas!  – Luther

“There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them.  They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.  This very day in David’s town your Savior was born — Christ the Lord!  And this is what will prove it to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’”  (Luke 2:8-12, Good News Translation)

We’ve heard this story, or parts of it, so many times over the years its burrs and sharp angles been worn smooth.  Or maybe Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth doesn’t seem as preposterous as it once did because in our day, shepherds are respectable, stables are antiseptically acceptable, and the thought that the master of the universe would enter our sphere as a member of a small, disenfranchised people with a troubled history doesn’t seem to trouble us.

But it should trouble us, the fact that God would choose to appoint the least trustworthy (shepherds) in ancient Judean society to broadcast word of His Son’s arrival; or that He would use a feeding box for animals (manger) for His cradle; or that He would enter human history as a member of a misrepresented, misunderstood, and mistreated class of people (Jews).  It should trouble us because, unlike God’s selections, our heroes never seem flawed or lacking.

God’s employment of the stable; and His deployment of the shepherds, reminds us that He is always more interested our availability than in our apparent capability.

God can — and does — choose flawed people for his agents.  God can — and does — use crooked sticks in His designs.  This ought to encourage us immensely because it gives each one of us, regardless of our deficiencies, the opportunity to work with God!

As we see in the Christmas story with the Virgin Mary, and Joseph, and the Magi, and the shepherds: There is no limit to what God can accomplish through an obedient heart, and an available life.  – Luther