Go tell it on the housetops!

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.”
Luke 2:10b

Sometimes you just can’t contain the joy.

It is tough building a three story house in December.  The rain comes down almost daily in Oregon, cold and unrelenting.  And then, at just the right moment, we had one sunny day.  All day the framing crew raced to get the roof sheathing on before dark and before another approaching storm.

My wife, Margaret, snapped this photo of Emilto just after he had nailed the last piece of plywood in place.  Thirty feet in the air he throws his hands up in an exuberant shout of pure joy.  And so he should shout!  The job was done!  Tell the good news! Celebrate!

It was a long, cold, dark time in Israel’s history.  God’s people had waited so very long for a Messiah.  And then, just at the right time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law.

And the angel told the shepherds, “I bring you Good News of great joy that will be for all the people!”  And the shepherds race to town, find the Babe, and wake everybody up with the Good News of a Savior.  Can you blame the shepherds?  They had waited so very long!  Let them shout!  Let them wake everybody up!  Celebrate!  There is great joy! The Savior is born!

“Oh, where shall joy be found?  Where but on heavenly ground?
Where the angels singing  With all His saints unite,
Sweetest praises bringing  In heavenly joy and light.
Oh, that we were there!  Oh, that we were there!”

Dear Lord Jesus, we join with the shepherds and the angels in singing in great joy of the Good News of Your coming for us!  May we celebrate your birth with great joy! Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Steve Nickodemus