“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:13-14
I was once in a Psychology lecture with 300 other students. Often I would lose concentration and start daydreaming, but on this particular day, I happened to be listening to Professor Bromley Kniveton, who was very eccentric, animated and engaging. All of a sudden he pointed at me and said, “you with the black glasses and big sideburns, what do you think?” Panic rushed through me as every eye in the room fixed on me. I gave an answer and he was pleased with it. I can’t even remember what it was now but I recall being immensely relieved that he was happy with my answer!
What is amazing about this passage, is that God chooses to turn up with a truckload of angels to announce the turning point for humanity…to some shepherds! They will have had no education, no reputation and will have been counted as a ‘spiritual zero’ by some people. But the angels bring peace to them by announcing God is pleased with them. They would have been terrified by this supernatural firework display, but at the same time, they were changed forever. The God they had heard about from the scriptures was in front of them in some sort of display and he is speaking peace and approval over them.
Have you ever felt like you lack peace in your heart? Have you ever felt like you are not approved of? Well, the radical, scandalous grace of the gospel is that Jesus came to earth as a baby, lived, died and rose again because God loves you so much. He wants to give you the gift of peace through the power of the Holy Spirit and he approves of you as a good father approves of their kids.
Advent Activation
If you’d like to receive this gift, you could pray this prayer.
“God, I know I mess things up all the time and I am sorry for that. But you are willing to look on me with the kind eyes of a loving Father. Please fill me with your peace this Christmas. Amen.”
