Posts with the category “joy-ffc”

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." They returned.That's how the story ends. The shepherds went back. Back to the fields. Back to the sheep. Back to the night watch. Back to the same work. The same obscurity. The same social exclusion.Nothing about their external circumstances had changed. They weren't promoted. They ...  Read More

 "When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.' And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger." Let us go.That's what the shepherds said to one another. They had heard the announcement. They had received the good news of...  Read More

...  Read More

 "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." A Savior. That was the first title the angel gave. And it matters more than you might think.You cannot save yourself. I don't care how hard you've tried. I don't care how many self-help books you've read. I don't care how many times you've promised yourself you'll do better. You cannot save yourself. Scriptur...  Read More

 "And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" Fear not.Those were the first words the angel spoke. And for good reason. When the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds, they were filled with great fear. Something was happening that ...  Read More

"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Keeping watch over their flock by night.That's what the shepherds were doing when joy arrived. Ordinary work. Unglamorous duty. They weren't seeking a spiritual experience. They weren't at the temple praying. They were doing what they always did.Watching sheep in the dark.Can I just say this? T...  Read More

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" We are looking for joy in all the wrong places.So many of us think joy comes after we get it right. After the kids behave. After the marriage improves. After we finally become the people we think we should be. We treat joy like a paycheck. Something we earn at the end of hard w...  Read More