"BROTHERLY"
Dec. 27, 2018
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!"
~ Luke 2:13-14 (ESV)
Just imagine, all those angels, spread out across the sky, praising God. That's some kind of celebration! Clearly something wonderful is happening, and they just have to get in on it—not just one angel, not two, but a multitude of them.
And what are they praising God for? Some angelic reason? They're celebrating "good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).
Think about that for a moment. These angels are celebrating a uniquely human joy—that God Himself has come into the human race, been born among us as a baby, has come to save the children of Adam and Eve. The primary beneficiaries of this great miracle aren't angels, but human. The angels are celebrating on our behalf—praising the God we share for coming to redeem the fallen human race.
Now I call that brotherly of them. It's the kind of joy a sister or brother shows when a good thing happens to someone else in the family. If we have a good relationship with our siblings, their happiness is our happiness; their joy is our joy. And the angels treat us in just this way.
But it's not surprising when you think of whom they are imitating. God Himself loved us enough to be born among us as a human being, our brother and Savior, Jesus. Through His death and resurrection, He brought us back into the family of God as dearly loved children. We are not lost and estranged from God's family anymore—we are home again. And now we too can celebrate "with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, evermore praising God and singing!"
THE PRAYER: Thank You, Father, for the angels You created and the kind concern they have for us. Help us to echo Your love by loving one another in Jesus. Amen.
The Coming King REFLECTION QUESTIONS!
- Do you have brothers and sisters? If so, how many? Are they older or younger than you?
- When have you rejoiced over the good news of a brother, sister, or someone else you feel close to?
- Now that Jesus has been born into the human race, God is your relative. What comes to your mind when you consider that fact?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you have brothers and sisters? If so, how many? Are they older or younger than you?
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