Christmas in July

I wonder what it would take to get good news enough to shake us out of "been there, done that," and into sheer amazement. How about a flock of angels bursting into song on a dark night? That would do it for me.

It may not be Christmas, but I'm thinking about Luke 2, about the reality that the Hebrew people, despite their best efforts, couldn't get themselves into the space where they became a blessing to the whole world as Genesis 12:3 had promised. So suppose you were God and you wanted to do something dramatic to restore the people who had abandoned you and messed themselves up. Suppose you didn't want to use force on them, but you knew they'd never connnect with you unless they'd seen you and known you.

Maybe you'd go down into the world, take on a human body, and show them how much you wanted them back, how much you hated the idea of them just fumbling along on their own, hurting one another, hurting themselves.

That was what the angels announced to a bunch of simple shepherds:

"Don't be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"
(Luke 2)

We've all heard of the baby Jesus. Have you heard though, that he carried the hope of all humanity with him? Have you heard that he was God entering our world to bring us the only good news that's worth anything?