News Of Great Joy

Luke 2:10 –

‘But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.’

There’s a great instagram account I follow called the @thehappynewspaper which basically just shares happy news. From a man whose blood donations saved approximately 2.4 million babies’ lives, to a tortoise who single-handedly saved his species by fathering hundreds of tortoises, it’s full of positive, heart-warming news stories.

Emily Coxhead, the founder of the newspaper, described it as a way to bring some good news into the world. She realised that was what our world needed. I followed it because I thought YES I like this. And then I thought, wait, as great as that is, I know some news that’s a lot better than that.

Our passage today is someone sharing some good news, or arguably some of the best news ever. God Almighty has come to earth, a baby has come to save the earth, to redeem us and rescue us. The angels describe it as ‘good news of great joy’. I know the best news ever, news of hope, and peace and love, news that brings joy.

As we approach Christmas, I challenge you to think about how you can share the good news of great joy. With everything going on in the world at the moment people are crying out for some good news, people are crying out for joy.

We’re called to be sharers of good news, carriers of hope and bringers of joy. How can we live that out this Christmas?

Prayer – Today let’s echo the ancient prayer of St Francis:

Where there is despair, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.

Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.

Editor: P.S. Invite people to watch Carols Online this Sunday!