Dave's Diary

The grazing was good in the fields around Bethlehem, but the nights were just as dark and cold as anywhere else in Judea. He envied the others their rest as they lay snoring softly, but it was his turn to be awake and on guard against the constant threat of wolves. He shifted position on the hard ground for the umpteenth time, trying to stay alert as time crept by at a snail’s pace. The fire crackled gently and gave off its comforting glow. As always, the night smelled of smoke and sheep.

His thoughts turned to his ancestor, David. How many nights had he sat out in the fields like this, cold and alone. Slowly he began to pass the time by reciting David’s Psalm, reminding himself, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” As he reached “I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me,” everything lit up, bright as day. He let out a guttural cry of fear and scrambled backward. The others woke immediately. Their confusion quickly turned to terror as they saw what he saw. A huge warrior looming over them, shining with heavenly glory, right there in the wilderness.

But when he spoke, a supernatural peace and calm descended on their camp:

‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’

Daily Reading: Luke 2:1-12

The coming of Christ, the King of God’s Kingdom is always “good news of great joy!” For the shepherds it was a source of joy because, along with all faithful Jews at the time, they had been anticipating the coming of a Saviour King, the Christ, who would rescue them from Roman oppression. The coming of the Christ would later be good news of great joy for the blind who received their sight, the lame who walked again, the deaf who heard and the mute who spoke. It would be good news of great joy for the woman caught in adultery whom Jesus saved from stoning, and the leper whom He touched and healed, and the tax collectors and “sinners” with whom He ate. It would be good news of great joy for the widow of Nain who received her son back from the dead, and for Mary and Martha whose brother Lazarus walked out of the tomb.

The coming of Christ, the King of God’s Kingdom, is good news of great joy for us too. For through Him we see God, we are drawn back Home, we find forgiveness of our sins, we are cleansed and restored to fellowship with God, adopted into His family and filled with His Spirit of love. His coming is always good news of great joy!

Won’t you take time today to ponder how Christ’s coming has been good news of great joy for you?

Won’t you take time to ponder how you might need Him to come to you afresh today, to minister good news?

Prayer

Come to me again, Lord Jesus, Saviour of the world, Saviour of my soul. Move into and minister to every dark place in me, bringing Your light and filling me afresh with the great joy of Your presence. Amen.