Fear & Joy

New beginnings can be a welcomed relief because with them comes freshness, renewed energy, and excitement of the unknown. Along with the entire world, we have just underwent a new beginning with the entire earth now in the New Year, 2021. We also experience freshness daily as we encounter God, he providing for us the things needed for that 24hr window of time.

Morning Prayer during Christmas welcomes you with this greeting from Luke 2: "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 and Joy.

As alarming as it was to have the skies illuminated by the angel of the Lord, and in short order the heavenly hosts, the shepherds were guided to "fear not". It was their joy that was to eclipse their fear and so remove the sting from the latter, their joy at the words they were hearing sung: the Messiah is here.

Though we are not confronted with the heavenly hosts in our PNW skies, there are sufficient experiences that we all undergo (or are currently undergoing) that may elicit fear from us. And it is only sensible that fear is a response to some circumstances. But may we pause and consider joy: the joy of the love of God for his people, the joy of his guiding hand, the joy that Death and all his friends are defeated, the joy that Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. Such joys are not magic wands that easily dispel the stressors in our life that bring about fear. But, those joys can remove the sting of that fear as it did shepherds on a hillside on a dark night many years ago. May this year be one of joy.

Peace & Joy