|
"Don't Be Afraid ... The Message of Christmas"
The following is a devotion by Ron Moore, Minister of Education at FBC, Clarksville, TN Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Don’t be afraid, for look I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born to you in the city of David. Luke 2:9-11 HCSB Recently, I was walking through the hallway at the church in the dark. A member of the facility crew was walking through as well and did not see me. When I said something to him, he almost jumped out of his skin. He was not expecting me to be there, and I inadvertently frightened him. Most of us at some time have had someone jump out from behind a door or from around a corner to intentionally scare us. We are usually terrified and scream or jump because we are not expecting their presence. Imagine being out in a field late at night. It is totally dark with many stars in the sky. Picture hundreds of sheep around you who have gone to sleep. Everything is quiet and peaceful when suddenly, an angel of the Lord is standing before you and there is a bright light. I am confident you would have been as terrified as the shepherds that night so long ago. The angel quickly calmed their fears and said, "Don’t be afraid." Challenge – Just as the shepherds were not expecting an angel to come and announce the birth of Jesus, many people today are hurting or afraid and do not expect Jesus. Be a caring friend and reach out to someone who needs a loving touch. Calm their fears and assure them that Jesus loves and cares for them. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! |
