The Announcement

John 1:6,8 – There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (NIV)

After a day of rain came a day that was bright but cold, with the last of the rain turning into a skiff of snow. I waited for the family to arrive for dinner and a celebration of the birthday of one of our members.

This member of the family is our son, and, as all mothers likely do, I thought back to the day he was born and the excitement we all shared at his arrival.

In those days it was customary to put an announcement into the local newspaper so all could read of his birth — his weight, his name, and the names of the proud parents — for all to know and to share our joy.

I thought of the birthday of our Saviour, Jesus, and of the one who came before Him. Scripture tells us of the birth of a man named John — not the writer of the Gospel — but John the Baptist, who came ahead to witness to the light that was to come, the light that would overcome the darkness of this world.

John came ahead to tell of the one to come, but the angels were the ones who gave the announcement to shepherds in the fields. They announced the joy in Bethlehem born of Mary and called Jesus.Their announcement was not exactly the same as our announcement in the local newspaper, but far greater and miraculous, bearing the joy that came to the entire world.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we give thanks for the announcement of the birth of Your Son, Jesus. We pray for all those who do not know of His arrival and who do not know that their Saviour awaits the opening of their spiritual eyes and ears to know Him. May they come to find that joy in their hearts as they accept the words of John when he came to witness to the coming of their Saviour Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.

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