I noticed something new while I was reading on-line this week. My computer boots to a MSN news service and I explored a wide variety of options. My standard fare is Sports, Money and News; not necessarily in that order. As I surfed through my typical menu, I spied a new addition; one that I hadn't seen before. The title: Good News.

I decided to check it out. The first story featured an inspirational piece on Lowes hiring a veteran and his service dog.  Another was about a Georgia woman who was fighting for her son with Downs Syndrome. There was a video entitled Churches divided by slavery aim to heal racial divide.

I'm not sure of the strategy, but the tab for good news was placed between crime and politics.

When you read the birth narrative of Jesus in Matthew 2 you see a reason for placing good news between crime and politics.

Matthew 2 begins with the politics of King Herod fearing that a new king was born on the horizon; at least that's the news to which the star pointed.  When the magi wouldn't participate in Herod's palace intrigue Herod perpetrated a great crime, genocide, to obliterate the newly born messiah.  He didn't succeed because Joseph, Mary and Jesus went into exile in Egypt.

Almost as if on cue, the tab for good news was nowhere to be found. It must have gone into hiding; just like Joseph and Mary hid the new born Messiah. Mysteriously the good news reappeared later in the week. Good news always finds a way to be proclaimed!

Here at JCPC the Lessons and Carols worship service serves as a welcomed reminder that good news is to be found in our church. Squeezed out in the world, every week you can hear the good news proclaimed in word and ritual during our worship. To God be the glory!

Prayer for Today

Ready our hearts to receive your good news, O Lord, and push away all the other noise that attempts to silence your gospel. In Jesus name we pray.