Day 19 – December 15
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]
Joy to the World! Peace on Earth! You don’t have to look far to find these two phrases during the Christmas season: Christmas Cards, Yard Signs, Mall Decor, Home Decorations, Social Media, Christmas Carols, Radio Playlists, School Plays.
But the irony is, our world seems so far from experiencing joy and peace anywhere. Our newsfeeds, social media, school campuses, YouTube, TikTok, everything is filled with hate, violence, negativity, opinion, sarcasm, identity confusion, scandal, political unrest. The population attempts to find peace and joy through social rights and self indulgences. The government asserts that peace, joy and harmony are found through more government, power and regulation.
The truth is both of these pursuits are woefully lacking – two legged stools if you will – doomed to topple without the third essential leg. The leg given to us in the beginning. The gift from God that promised real Joy and real Peace and real Hope. My friends – God gave us what we needed all along. Sadly, many have turned to their own ways. Isaiah 53:6 says All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him [JESUS] the sins of us all. You see – thankfully Jesus came into the world [Luke 2] and died for our sins to reconcile sinful man [Us] with a Holy God so that we can have forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God! Thus restoring PEACE and JOY in our lives! Oh, I pray that YOU have made Jesus YOUR Forgiver and Leader in YOUR life!
Thank You Lord for sending Your son Jesus into the world to pay the penalty for my sins! Thank You for forgiving me of my sins! The only way I could have paid for my sins was to die an eternal death in hell for what I had done – BUT You – Jesus – stood in MY PLACE – and Died for Me – and Took My Penalty – and Paid My Price! Thank You for doing that for ME! Because of what You did for me – I now choose to surrender my life to You! I choose today to follow You now and forever! Amen!
Written by: Pastor Steve Wells
Amen