Go Tell It on the Mountain!

Our older son Josh and his youngest daughter flew over from Tennessee a week ago Friday night and landed around eleven at the Tulsa Airport.  I met them there and drove us back to my place for what had been planned as a surprise for the rest of the family, when we drove down near Oklahoma City the next day, to celebrate our youngest granddaughter’s second birthday!

Well, by the time we arrived at our younger son’s home in Edmond, the only one left to be surprised was Jeremy, our redheaded child.  We have redheads on both sides of our family, so it was natural for the gene to be carried on by at least one of our kids!  And it has also been passed down to the next generation with Josh’s younger daughter Lily, and her bright red crown of glory!

As it turns out, Jeremy was quite stunned to see Josh and Lily and the look on his face as he opened the door expecting to see only me… made all the clandestine planning worth the effort!  We had a great time there and were quite satisfied with the gathering, the good conversation and my personal enjoyment of seeing the boys together. 

So, to make a long story short, all was well until we left the big Bass Pro Outdoor Shop on Sunday afternoon, on our way to our oldest daughter’s home for a visit.  And then without any prior warning, my trusty car started to stall at every intersection!  We did make it to our daughter’s place and had another nice visit but as the time for Josh and Lily’s return flight drew closer, I asked Jamie if she could take our visitors to the airport since I didn’t know if my car would make it or not.

She happily agreed to the request and I said my farewells (I have to tell you… it was REALLY nice to have the laughter, love and companionship of our family in my quiet house again!).  I did made it home okay… even though it kept trying to stall out on me… and called the dealership the next day to made an appointment to get the problem resolved.

And so, as I waited in the Customer Service lounge for the next shuttle to take me back home at the big Chevy dealer on Wednesday morning, I had a revelation while I watched the big screen TV on the wall broadcasting that morning’s episode of the “Today” show.”

After a while, I couldn’t help but to burst out laughing and I reached for my notebook that I had with me and started taking notes of the top subjects that they were covering that day.  I am familiar with the show and the two main hosts, but I had never actually watched the program before.  I laughed because if I hadn’t known any better, I would have been ready to run out the door and hide in a cave for the rest of my life… with all that BAD NEWS and FEAR that they and their (news?) correspondents discussed!

From their dramatic, panic driven declaration of the ‘worst flu season ever’ and the fears of the possible shortages of off the counter flu medications (even though they interviewed a spokesman from a major manufacturer of the most popular flu medicine, who said that they would have NO problem meeting demand… go figure!), to potential threats aimed at the country’s power grid, alarming reports about Putin’s use of nuclear weapons and of course, their over-anxious concerns of the Trump documents as well as the supposed ‘insurrection’ on January 6^th,  the two female hosts and their reporters painted a picture of the utter destruction of life as we know it.  They heralded fear, anger and a strong sense of hopelessness.

What a totally opposite and complete difference to what the angel of the Lord proclaimed to those lonely shepherds watching over their special flocks outside of the city of Jerusalem, when he happily declared to people of every generation… including ours today saying:

"Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11 EMTV)

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries informs us that the “good tidings of great joy” is speaking specifically of “an announcement of Good News,” and especially “of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  In fact, the word “gospel” is used over 104 times in the New Testament and is defined as “a good message of the glad tidings of salvation through Christ and the proclamation of the grace of God that is pledged in Christ.” (Strong’s and Thayer’s)

No wonder the Apostle Paul tells us over and over again in the book of Philippians to “Always be joyful in the Lord!”  In his 1911, 20 volume work entitled “Great Texts of the Bible” James Hastings, DD wrote that,

“It has been well said that this whole Epistle (Philippians) may be summed up in two short sentences: ‘I rejoice’; ‘Rejoice ye!’ The word and the thing crop up in every chapter, like some hidden brook, ever and anon sparkling out into the sunshine from beneath the shadows.”

So, I ask you once again TODAY… Whose VOICE are you going to listen to in the midst of this Holiday Season, in which we worship and honor the birth of the GOOD NEWS for you and me… for both now and eternity?

I can honestly say without any shadow or hesitation of doubt… It definitely WON’T be the likes of the destructive hopelessness of the “TODAY” show, but instead, of the proclamation of HOPE, LOVE, GRACE, PEACE and JOY that the angel of the Lord announced to us… a proclamation that speaks as LOUDLY and TRUTHFULLY as it did some two thousand plus years ago… and still encourages you and me to sing aloud today…

♫“Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and ev'rywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Chris is born!” ♪*

Have a wonderful weekend… and as you do… go out and BE JOYFUL while you go and tell everyone about the hope-filled, true reason for the season of Christmas!

 

*Compiled by John Wesly Work, Nashville, TN, (1872-1925)