Devotion
Joy to the world
David Jacobs
I often wonder what it would be like if God appeared to me. "Surely I would be excited," I think to myself. Excited is probably true, but I think terrified would also be true. For those of us with jobs, imagine being at your job, perhaps at your desk, in a car, or doing something that you do often with your time. Suddenly, God appears! Even the most devout Christians amongst us would be fearful at first! The same is true for the shepherds in these verses, and it makes us wonder why God chose to appear to shepherds when He could have appeared to anyone.
Consider the story of the birth of Jesus: his parents, the location, the time. Christ had the most humble of beginnings. It was a choice by God so that everyone could identify with the story. He chooses to appear to shepherds for the same reason: anyone can put themselves in the shepherds' situation and understand it. Also, if God had appeared to a king or someone powerful, the message would have changed and spread in a different manner. Christ was born in the humblest state so that the message would spread to those that needed it the most first, those that would believe it the most first, and those that would spread this joy to the entire world first. It was an intricate plan by God that has stood the test of time.
Prayer
My almighty God, your blessed angels sing your praises and all people hear the good news. Strengthen our hearts, so that we may all spread the good news to those that need it. Heavenly Father, there is still so much work to be done, and I pray that you will grant me the fortitude to never grow tired, and to advance your name in all I do. Amen.
Devotion
Misrepresenting God
Frances Taylor
This passage is one I try very hard to take to heart. For over forty years, I have worked to bring the gospel message to children and adults alike. That is what I'm doing as I write this. It is so important that we don't misrepresent God to others. When someone tells me they don't believe in God, I wonder whose image of God they have been taught. When I was a child, it was common to hear that God was some policeman in the sky that was going to punish me for everything I did wrong. The idea of a loving, forgiving God was not taught as the norm. Ministers and other teachers of religion often spoke more of hellfire and damnation. It's no wonder that there are those who claim that God doesn't exist. On the other hand, there are those who taught that God was like Santa Claus, keeping track of our good deeds and rewarding us accordingly, or tracking our misdeeds and punishing us accordingly. Neither of these images of God are accurate. God is loving ...
