December 22nd, 2020
Text: Matthew 10:27
What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. (NRSV)
When we have become adept at picking out God’s voice among the competing voices, we must also realize that what God tells us is seldom for us alone. God has invited us to be his voice to those who are not yet tuned into his voice. God desires for us to declare from the rooftops the words we hear from him during our private times.
Sharing the good news of God’s love should never be a scary thing. It is understandable why someone might be afraid to share with others bad news. We never want to be the bearer of news that might be devastating to others. One of the hardest jobs in the military is done by men and women who are designated as a Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO). Their job is to physically go to the home of the next of kin of a military member who has died on duty and inform the family of the death. No doubt you have seen movie scenes where a car pulls up to a house and two persons in dress uniform approach the front door and the woman inside who has watched from the window begins to turn pale and collapses to the floor knowing the bad news that is about to be delivered.
No one chooses to be a CACO. The job is so difficult that a chaplain is always dispatched with the CACO. The chaplain is not there for the family receiving the bad news, the chaplain is there for the one who is delivering the bad news. But the news we receive from God is not about the death of a loved one, the news we receive from God is about eternal life and rescue from sin and death. The news that God wants us to shout from the rooftops is good news of great joy!
Have you been keeping the good news of Jesus Christ to yourself? Has God spoken words of love and assurance to you in your private times that you have not shared with others? Has God whispered love stories to you that you have kept to yourself?
Pray with me:
Lord God forgive me when I do not share the good news you have put on my heart when we have spent time together. Remind me that you have called me to give voice to the words of love you have for the world when the world is incapable of hearing your voice for themselves. AMEN.
What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. (NRSV)
When we have become adept at picking out God’s voice among the competing voices, we must also realize that what God tells us is seldom for us alone. God has invited us to be his voice to those who are not yet tuned into his voice. God desires for us to declare from the rooftops the words we hear from him during our private times.
Sharing the good news of God’s love should never be a scary thing. It is understandable why someone might be afraid to share with others bad news. We never want to be the bearer of news that might be devastating to others. One of the hardest jobs in the military is done by men and women who are designated as a Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO). Their job is to physically go to the home of the next of kin of a military member who has died on duty and inform the family of the death. No doubt you have seen movie scenes where a car pulls up to a house and two persons in dress uniform approach the front door and the woman inside who has watched from the window begins to turn pale and collapses to the floor knowing the bad news that is about to be delivered.
No one chooses to be a CACO. The job is so difficult that a chaplain is always dispatched with the CACO. The chaplain is not there for the family receiving the bad news, the chaplain is there for the one who is delivering the bad news. But the news we receive from God is not about the death of a loved one, the news we receive from God is about eternal life and rescue from sin and death. The news that God wants us to shout from the rooftops is good news of great joy!
Have you been keeping the good news of Jesus Christ to yourself? Has God spoken words of love and assurance to you in your private times that you have not shared with others? Has God whispered love stories to you that you have kept to yourself?
Pray with me:
Lord God forgive me when I do not share the good news you have put on my heart when we have spent time together. Remind me that you have called me to give voice to the words of love you have for the world when the world is incapable of hearing your voice for themselves. AMEN.
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