Do Not Fear
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:10-11
With Christmas less than a week away, the joyful anticipation is everywhere around us. Christmas music fills the air, reminding us that the day is almost here. This year, two distinct parts of the Christmas story have reached deep into my heart.
The first is how intentionally God orchestrated the angelic announcement of Jesus’ birth. The angels were perfectly positioned, ready to deliver their glorious message the very moment the Savior was born. As soon as baby Jesus took His first breath, an angel of the Lord appeared in a nearby field to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. It was nighttime, but the angel didn’t wait to see if the shepherds were awake or asleep. He simply stood there, shining, until someone noticed him. (I am sure it didn’t take long!)
Naturally, the shepherds were terrified, we know this because the angel’s first words were, “Do not be afraid.” Once he reassured them, he quickly delivered the news he had been waiting to share all evening: “I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all people!” This announcement wasn’t just for the Hebrew people but for everyone. The angel proclaimed the birth of their Savior. God in the flesh. The Creator had become part of His creation!
What followed was even more amazing: a multitude of angels joined him, forming a heavenly choir that rejoiced together. What a celebration that must have been!
The second thought that has moved me this season is the miracle of God’s incarnation and the joy it brought, not just to humanity, but to God Himself. From the beginning of creation, God had this plan in His heart. His plan was to bring salvation into the world by becoming a human man. Can you imagine His anticipation as He watched the fulfillment of this moment?
We often focus on how the birth of Jesus is good news for us, and it absolutely is! But this year, I’m considering how God the Father must have rejoiced. He had been waiting for this moment longer than any person in this world could comprehend. He spoke of it from the very beginning, revealing His heart through the prophets for thousands of years. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies about the coming Savior and glimpses of God’s joy-filled plan.
This wasn’t just a rescue mission. It was the culmination of God’s desire for a relationship with His creation. He didn’t just want to rule over us; He wanted to live among us, to be with us, to experience life as we do. Out of His boundless love, He took on flesh to walk with us, to be our Redeemer, and to invite us into His family.
Hebrews 12:2 reminds us:
“… looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The joy of Jesus’ birth wasn’t just ours, it was God’s as well!
Today I want to encourage you that as we approach Christmas, let’s take a moment to marvel at the depth of God’s love for us. He didn’t just come to save us, though that is a priceless gift. He came because He wanted a family. He wanted us to be His people, living in relationship with Him. This Christmas, rejoice with our Heavenly Father for the awesome plan He fulfilled the night Jesus was born. Celebrate the love that sent a Savior into the world, and give thanks for the future hope we have in Him that one day, we will live with Him forever!
Today’s Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-14
8Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
The Daily Dose 