Skip to main content

Joy At Christmas

A Proclamation of Joy!

Limassol Marina

The decorative season reminds us that Christmas is a time of rejoicing and celebration. Our hearts rejoice with family and friends at God's grace revealed in the wondrous Christmas story.


Molos, Limassol

The Christmas narrative in Luke's Gospel depicts the appearance of the angel of the Lord to the shepherds on that Bethlehem evening, as they tended to their flocks. How they must have marvelled as these words filled the air:

Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord! Luke 2:10 -11


This two thousand-year old message is the most joyful proclamation in history! The coming of the Saviour to earth means a fallen world can be reconciled to a holy God.


God incarnate lived among us and laid down His life on the cross of Calvary to atone for our sins. He conquered death and rose again, imparting the joyous anticipation of resurrection and eternal life to His followers. By faith we receive His gift of salvation. Is there any greater reason to rejoice?


Christmas Land, Limassol Old Port

Heaven did not contain its joy the night the Saviour was born. We read that a vast heavenly host appeared beside the angel of the Lord and burst forth in praise, saying:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!

Luke 2:14


This is heaven's wish for mankind, peace and good will. It starts in hearts who worship the King of Glory and perform God's will on earth until He returns to bring Millennium peace to our broken world.


Even if you are finding it difficult to rejoice due to adverse circumstances of this past year, God is with you and will never abandon you. Look away from the troubles and embrace His intimate presence. Let His joy radiate your being in the moments He draws near.


Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her king;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Isaac Watts
May you have much joy this Christmas!







Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Mystery that is Macedonia

When I first came to Macedonia on a visit in 2001, I found this little country so intriguing and breathtakingly beautiful that I happily accepted the invitation to return for a longer period. That ‘longer period’ has now extended itself to several years during which I have had many enriching, memorable experiences. I thought it might be interesting to jot down a few observations about the difference in culture. I appeal to my Macedonian readers not to misunderstand my intentions. What I have observed are customs and habits which are as normal to you as breathing and sleeping, but to someone from an entirely different culture, they are both interesting and noteworthy. It is always thrilling for me to explore how various nations function and it is nothing short of a privilege to experience a foreign culture first-hand. Hospitality Macedonians are a friendly, hospitable people. I do not know how many times they have almost literally killed me with kindness. Indeed, I have often...

Quiet Time

I must admit, I love the morning. The peace, the silence, the coffee... And most importantly, the presence of God! The Psalmist loved the morning. We can catch his sense of joy as he lifted up his heart to praise Yahweh, the Keeper of his soul. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night, On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound. For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. Psalm 92:1-4 Even though I grew up in a Christian family, I did not realize the importance of having a ‘quiet time’ with God each morning until I was 18. This materialized through a challenging teaching on the subject one Saturday evening. Then began an incredible journey of discovering truth for myself. The Bible is the LIVING WORD OF GOD! How exciting to hold it in our hands and learn throu...

Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

The Garden Tomb, Jerusalem. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:14 ESV) In the past few days, I have read several articles that question the claims of Easter — ‘There is no evidence of the resurrection,’ the proponents write, ‘it is a fabrication, the Biblical text is not reliable…’ On the contrary, the existing evidence presents a solid argument. The apostle Paul asserts that the litmus test of Christianity is the resurrection. The more I read and analyze the evidence, the more I become convinced intellectually in addition to knowing the living Christ by faith. Testimony of Women The Gospel writers record that the first witnesses of the empty tomb were women: Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. (Luke 24:10 ESV) In the first century, a woman’s testimony did not count; if the story had been fabricated, Luke and the o...