Standing alone in the desert at night one feels that all about one there is this listening, an alertness for movement, for life, for change.”
–Louis L’Amour (Taggart)
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
–Luke 2:8 (NKJV)
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The warning is out–Don’t travel during the holidays. Don’t go celebrate Christmas! If you have to celebrate Christmas, do it in the secrecy of your own home. Especially do not gather together with other believers in a crowded setting, such as a church. Oh don’t, just don’t, your life is at stake.
Perhaps we should stop, and try to listen for the sound of the angels as on the evening of old. Stop, ponder the words one more time. Don’t listen to the cries of the media, or the fretful sounds of the powermongers. Stop, listen to the Word of God.
“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.'”
–Luke 2:13-14(NASB)
There are those out there that would shut out the words completely if they could. They do not want the celebration of the truth of Christmas to ring forth in the night. Even the hustle and bustle of the crowd detects something of Christmas. For why the rush of the crowd, but not to buy and then to give. Oh, it might speak of commercialism, but it also speaks of happiness.
There is a “pandemic”, there is terror on the streets, there are riots in the cities. Fear abounds! Stop, look, listen for the words of the angels.
“The angel-music seems out of place. We have almost forgotten the heavenly strains in the harsh and brutal antagonism of immediate events. To listen to the angels just now–it is as though the carol singers are at our door, and while they are singing outside the house a fierce quarrel is going on inside. And some people are thinking, and some people are saying, ‘The old song is a fond illusion! It is an old song, and nothing more! Its peaceful vision is a mirage! Its fair promise is a baseless dream! The music has no background in reality! It mocks where it used to comfort, and it irritates where it used to inspire!’ That is what many people are thinking, and what some people are saying. And therefore it might be well to listen to the angels again, as the music comes to us through these two thousand years; ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men.'”
–John Henry Jowett
There are those who fear that the gathering together will spread a “virus,” however, the real cause of alarm is that it may do damage to their power. Fear has always been used by those in power to maintain their power. Fear has always been a means to manipulate people. They will clamor that the old songs are mundane, archaic, an illusion, and are actually mocking the fear that those in power are trying to promote.
“Bah!” they cry, there is no peace. The whole story is a bunch of humbug. Phooey. And when I hear that I feel pity, and give a smile. For one, they did not read the verse, “peace among people with whom He is pleased.” I do not see the Lord being well pleased with many people today. People who vote for abortion and for abominations cannot be pleasing to the Lord.
But to the believer He is pleased, for He sees His Son.
Listen to the words again. Let the song come forth from the depths of your heart–be like the angels and say “Glory to God in the highest,” then thank Him for His wonderful peace. In this time of year, this wonderful season of Christmas, do not walk with fear in your heart, but step in faith, sing His praises and thanking Him for the birth of His Son–Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.