12-17-2018

Good Morning All,

            Isaiah 40:9; “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

      Are you one of the people who listen to a song being sung and then when you sing along your version is not the same as the correct version?  One of the worst things is when you get the written lyrics to one of your favorite songs and now you must learn the words all over again.  Being a child of the ‘70’s I thought John Fogerty was being a good host when he told us “there’s a bathroom on the right”.  Turns out he was telling us “there’s a bad moon on the rise”.

     I sometimes even get the hymns in the hymnal wrong.  I think I was 12 or 13 before I realized that the hymn was “Hark, the Herald Angel Sings!”  I thought it was “Hark, Harold the Angel Sings!” In fairness, I have known over a dozen men named Harold so it wasn’t that farfetched but it was still inaccurate.  Yet I still like my version for God invites us to be “Harolds” and herald His Good News.

    To herald a message means to proclaim in all boldness and confidence.  It is to shout it from the mountain tops or to stand in the town square and loudly and boldly announce the truth as it has been revealed to you.  In our text, the prophet Isaiah prophesies that God will restore and renew the city of Jerusalem and once again the king will rule and the people will be restored.  He is encouraging the city and the temple (Zion) to be a herald of good news.  God encourages us to do the same thing.

    There will be times in your life when God nudges you to be a “Harold”.  There will be times when a friend or a family member will be at the end of their rope.  They may have experienced something personally like a health scare or a major loss of some kind.  They may have witnessed a relative or close friend suffer and are lost and hurting.  They may have hit rock bottom and are sitting there wondering which way is up.  They need a “Harold.”  They need you to tell them about Jesus.  They need you to show them in the Bible where God promises to love them.  They need to hear that Jesus came to save them.  They need someone to stand strong and tell them that God does not hate them, God is not out to get them but rather that God is a God who loves them and desires that they live in eternal joy with Him.  They need a “Harold” to confidently tell them that Jesus is alive and offers them peace and hope.  They need a “Harold” to herald the good news.

    It might be your children or grandchildren.  It might be your parents, siblings or spouse but there will be someone who needs you to be “Harold” and give them the wonderful of Jesus and his love.  The Lord will speak with you when you speak in faith.  Trust Him to be your guide.

Father, give me strength to boldly proclaim the wonderful truth of Jesus and His love for all.  Guide me to those who are suffering and desperately need your grace spoken to them.  Use my voice, my hands and my shoulders to bring your comfort and peace to all.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret