“God’s Greatest Proclamation” by Judy Webb
The star shone brightly in the Western sky. It was a calling, a beckoning to come, to see the newborn king. It was an irresistible invitation to drop everything, to risk everything, to journey long and dangerous to a distant land to meet the One true king. It was the heavenly announcement of a savior to be born the King, and some men in a distant land who had been longing to know God had the audacity to follow a star.
On a hillside outside of Bethlehem on a starry night in the midst of the mundane bleating of sheep and the crackling of a fire, the heavens lit up with glory. Angels in all their majesty and wonder announced to the sunbaked shepherds that a savior has been born, who is Christ the Lord. The invitation fills the sky, the worship of angels resounds in the heavens. It is another irresistible calling, come and meet the newborn king, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NIV)
God knows how to make a birth announcement. He knows how to proclaim the wonder in the heavens. When my son Zack was being born the best we could do to invite folks into the miracle was a text message and a Facebook post. God lights up the sky with wonder. He sends his angels to be his messengers of the miraculous.
The story of the birth of Christ is so familiar that perhaps we miss some of it’s meaning, and we miss that God is still announcing His presence and His majesty through creation and through His church. Do you want to see God? Do you long for a vision of the majestic Creator?
Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT)
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
Look at what God has made and know that even in the rising sun God is declaring that He is giving us a new day. In the darkening of the sky, He is giving us rest. In the blaze of colors of dusk, He is showing us that He is lovely, He is offering us beauty. In the striking of lightning and the rumbling of thunder, He is reminding us that He is God, powerful and present, and that we are small and yet so loved. Day by day He continues to speak through creation. It is a daily calling to remember God, to know that He hasn’t forgotten us, that He is in control. God’s message has gone through all the world through the voice of creation.
It speaks to me. I am in awe of the vastness of the ocean, the blue hues of the sky, the towering trees, the diversity of birds and animals. But, dear church, even with the miracle of the Bethlehem star, the angels at his disposal, and the beauty of places like Yosemite, God’s greatest proclamation of Himself is through you.
You, dear church, are the star in the sky, you are the reminder to the world that your God is good, He is loving, He is kind, and He is near.
Matthew 5:14-16 says “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (NIV)
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your Father in heaven. You are the proclamation of the Saving King. You are the light of the world.
Father God, we praise You for your beauty displayed in creation. We praise You for bringing rain and watering the Earth. We praise You for the majesty of your creation and how it speaks to who You are. And Jesus, we praise You for your Holy Spirit sent to be a voice in the church to proclaim to all the world that there is salvation in the Son of God. Jesus, your presence in us makes us a light in the darkness. Your love through us testifies of your redemption. Make the Church of Huntsville be a light to our community and to the world. Help us to love others well in your name. Draw people to yourself through the love and service of your church.
About the Author ~ Judy Webb
I am an average girl with an amazing God. I was never that brave, never really outgoing, and usually afraid of new situations. I would often try to hide who I really was in order to fit into a crowd. I was probably on a road that was going to look mundane and ordinary, but God had extraordinary plans for me. He rescued me from the monotony of existence without Him to a great joy and peace in Him. He set my life on a whirlwind adventure as a missionary in Korea and in Germany. I was given the great joy of sharing my life in Christ with teens on many continents. Today I am wife to Jeff, and mom to Zack and Caleb. When I am not playing with my boys or struggling through spelling words, I love to sit in a living room with a group of ladies and just dig into the Word together. I also love to write about the joy I have in Christ and the truth He teaches me. I am a member of Rivertree Church where I help lead ladies’ Bible Study.
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