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Joy in the Darkness
Christmas is just around the corner, so of course, I had to write about this part of the Nativity story!
Have you ever wondered why God sent His messenger to a group of men in the dark?
Picture yourself there. It’s night. The sheep are bleating calmly. The watchmen keep an eye on the surroundings while the rest of the men stay warm by the fire.
Suddenly, POW! The sky lights up, and you see a vision that speaks and delivers an announcement filled with promises of good news and great joy.
Did you catch it? The first promise God gives to the men in the dark is the promise of “good news that will cause great joy…”
It’s interesting how God chose to send His angel.
First – to men. He could have used anyone (see Luke 24:9 when He chose women to carry news of the resurrection).
Second – in the dark. Some may think it was to get the shepherds’ attention. But I don’t think so (see Acts 9:1-6, where His light outshone the sun).
I think the men and the dark were chosen so God’s bright Promise could stand out against the darkness of the culture the people were in (see John 1:5).
Remember, Israel was under Roman rule. Bethlehem was full of people due to the census—a census that was a reminder to the Jews where their taxes went, that their freedom was not their own and even their very lives could be upended, all to make Rome happy.
And the men could do nothing about it.
In other words, it was a dark time for them.
Yet God had a promise for them. A promise of “great joy for all the people.”
But that joy was not a word—it was The Word (John 1:14).
And what did the men do with that promised joy?
They went to find Him. Then, they spread the news to everyone they saw (Luke 2:15-18).
Christmas can be a dark time for many people. But maybe it’s just the right time for God’s Promise of great joy to show up in your life.
Go find Him. Then, share Him with someone. They might just need to hear all about Him.
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, that You are with me in the dark of life. Thank You that Your promise of great joy is still true today. Help me to find Your joy and share it with others. Amen.
Reflection: Who is one person you know who could use some joy in their life today? Find them and share some with them!
Scripture
About this Plan
Traditionally, in the third week of Advent, we celebrate the “joy” of Christ’s arrival. Over the next week of these devotionals for men, we will examine the emotion of joy in several different biblical contexts. We pray that you will find joy in life's victories, but also in darkness, in times of emptiness, and in any uncertainty or pain, by God's grace. Written by Brad Klassen.
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