Good News, Great Joy

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)

When we picked up James Bruce from his Special Ones Sunday School class this morning, he was clutching a small white paper angel that was adorned with gold glitter. I asked him if he made it in Sunday School and he firmly answered, "I want to put her on the Christmas tree." I said okay, but the angel didn't have a way to hang her from the tree. I really thought he'd forget about the angel and go on with something else, but after lunch James Bruce brought the angel to me and said again, "I want to put her on the Christmas tree."

I found our hole puncher, prayed before I punched, and then punched a hole in her head. I found some used white wired ribbon and James Bruce happily took the angel to his Dad to put on our Christmas tree. We made a sweet Christmas memory.

One of the many blessings of parenting a special needs young adult is always seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child. James Bruce continues to help us see, hear, feel, and sing Christmas through his child's eyes. This afternoon as he roamed through the house, I could hear him saying, "Fear not, I bring you good news of great joy!" His paper angel reminded him- and us- of the first angel's message of good news.

The word angel literally means "messenger." The angel of the Lord that appeared to the shepherds on that first Christmas night brought good news of great joy that is still good news today. A Savior- a deliverer, a redeemer- has been born to take away the sin of the world, and not just the sin of the world, but my sin as well. 

God has given us the privilege of being His messengers. Who do you know that needs to hear the good news of Jesus? May we all be like the shepherds of long ago who "when they had seen him, they spread the word concerning him "(Luke 2:17).