But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

It’s interesting how many times God starts out his messages to mankind with ‘Do Not Be Afraid’ in some form or other. His first thoughts of us are comfort.

It was, no doubt, a dark, cold night on the hillsides outside Bethlehem. For the shepherds it was just another night of taking turns watching for predators, hearing the rustling and snoring of sheep and gathering around the fire to keep warm.

These men were at the bottom of the sociological food chain, so to speak. Nothing much happened in their lives that would elicit any kind of respect from the townspeople. They had nothing to offer and no real hope of doing anything significant in their lives.

Not only was the hillside they sat on dark, life was dark. The Roman oppression seemed to be growing. Taxes and other demands from the Caesar in Rome were causing more turmoil among the Jews, and some had died trying to free the land of the Romans.

Life was hard. Life was hopeless. So much so that it seemed God himself had abandoned them. It had been 400 years since a prophet came forward with ‘Thus saith the Lord’. Would they ever be free again? Would God ever speak again or had they rejected him for too long? Does he even exist?

And what about Messiah? Will he ever come to free his people as the prophets of old foretold? So many questions. So few answers. So little hope. Hope seemed to be like the slowly dying campfire they sat around that night.

Suddenly a bright light exploded in the sky above them. Ever had a bright light shine in your eyes when you sat in darkness? I’m guessing you can multiply that by 1000’s. Eyes squinting to make out a form. Fear over what was out there. Then wonder as their eyes adjusted to the light and they made out the form of an angel…not just one be many angels.

‘Don’t be afraid?’ Right, because this happens all the time. Then the message. Rather than fear over the darkness, celebrate joy of a new light. Messiah has come.

I wonder if the words of Isaiah and others came to mind when they heard the name ‘Messiah’. The one come to deliver. The one come to heal. The one come to free you. That is good news.

Proverbs 13:12 says, ”Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.“ It’s easy to lose hope when promises and dreams are delayed and out of our control. But when those hopes are realized they become for us a tree of life, a tree of refreshing, great joy for those who put their hope in God.

This Christmas, in whatever dark place you find yourself, rejoice in the hope of the babe in the manger.