The Advent Adventure- 17 Days to Christmas: The Angel’s Song of Glory and Peace
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“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’"
Luke 2:13-14 (NIV)
Week two in our Advent Adventure introduces us to the Angel’s song of glory and peace! It has been called Gloria in Excelsis Deo, meaning “Glory to God in the highest.” It records the message that the angels gave the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields that night. Though on the lowest rung of the social and economic ladder, God chose shepherds to hear the Good News of Jesus’ birth first. They would see the newborn King years before the wise men arrived.
What a night it must have been for those shepherds! The angels had already been busy communicating with Joseph, Mary, and their relatives, Zechariah and Elizabeth, the important roles they would each play in the Christmas story. Now, with the birth of Jesus, you can almost feel the excitement and eagerness of these angels to leave heaven and share the news with someone. At God’s direction, they were dispatched to the shepherds that starry night. At first sight, the shepherds were terrified! Wouldn’t you be? There you are one minute, watching your sheep, and the next, an angel appears out of nowhere! The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Vs. 10-11) Then, suddenly, a great company of angels appeared, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”
The angels rejoiced at the message they gave because it was good news! That’s the message of Christmas! It’s good news! God’s peace is found in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of Peace! We experience His peace when we receive Him as our Savior from sin. His death and resurrection offers us peace with God. Have you experienced that peace in your life? The Bible says in Romans 5:1 (NLT), “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”
You can ask God right now for His peace by inviting His Son to be your personal Lord and Savior. When you experience that peace, like those shepherds, you will want to share it with others. One easy way to share the good news is to invite a friend to join you for a Christmas Eve service. We have multiple service times and locations for you to choose from at Woodlands Church! I hope your family and friends can join us to celebrate the Good News of Christ's birth and experience the peace He offers. Check our website for service times and locations.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.