longs to carry us

Monday December 8^th Isaiah 40:  ⁹ You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!"  ¹⁰ See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.  ¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.  All too often the messages the world hears from the church are messages of judgment.  All too often the messages the world hears from the media, even in times of economic distress, is who cares, just spend and you will feel good, at least for a while.  Our calling as the children of God is to let the world know the real message of Christmas is the message of God in Christ coming into the world.  This is a message of one who longs to carry us in his arms and hold us close to his heart at all times and in all places, especially when things fall apart and terrorists and pirates and economics of privilege besiege the world.  This is a message of one who leads gently those who are fragile or have young.  This is a message of God’s love and Grace.  Our call is to shout that message of Grace from the mountain tops, don’t let the doom and gloom, you better watch out you better not cry you better believe things only our way, crowd win the day.  Our calling is to let the world know of God’s love in the face of all those who wish to destroy the message and turn it into judgment, death, destruction and profit.  Spread the Good news that Christ is coming and is already here in your hearts, and spread it as Good News.