God Speaking

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.”

(Luke 2: 10)

I get very few letters in the mail as letter writing seems to have become unnecessary with the current use of emails and texting and even though I am old I now use online banking to pay bills that no longer come by letter. So, when there is a letter in my box, I am surprised and somewhat nervous as government notices still come in letter form. So, when I opened the letter which I could see came from my bank, also making me nervous, I was pleasantly surprised. It said a mistake had been made and I would see a refund returned to my account. Good news! 

When we watch the news lately, there doesn’t seem to be much good news. We are inundated with stories of violence, murder, and warfare. It can become very unsettling, and we tend to forget the most incredibly good news ever happening to mankind. The birth of Jesus Christ was the beginning of the story of redemption. The four first books of the New Testament are all called, gospels which means they are full of good news for all of us. 

The disciples knew that this good news was so incredible they spent every day telling others. They wanted to share it and spread it through out the whole region 

“Day after day and in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 5: 42)

When we hear and understand the enormity of the truth behind these words, what is the result? Isaiah has a beautiful way of putting it. We become beautiful messengers when we share this good news with others. 

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings and proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52: 7)

So how do we who are believers and follow Jesus and know the good news spread it to others? 

The Bible study I belong to at our church have been studying the letter of Paul to the Colossians. He had never met these people or knew them. Yet he wanted them to be able to live the good news, but what resonated with me was the final chapter where he asks them to pray for him. At this time Paul was in prison bound in chains and dependent on others to help him. My first thought was surely he will ask the believers to pray for God to release him, but no he asks them to ask God for more ways to spread the good news. 

“And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” (Colossians 4: 3)

What a wonderful message for us, when we are in prayer, don’t let us bombard God with our problems, but ask him every morning to show us how and to whom he could use us to spread the good news, then we will truly become beautiful messengers for him.