Goodwill towards all people
The birth of Jesus was unique. He was the servant King that many Prophets in the Old Testament spoke about. Countless over the generations cherish and relish in Him:
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From heaven you came, Helpless babe,
Entered our world, Your glory veiled;
Not to be served but to serve
And give Your life that we might live
This is our God, The Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King.
In the presentation in the Gospel of Luke on the birth of Jesus, we find contrasts. On the one hand is the lowliness of His birth. The Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar, in charge of Palestine issued a decree for a census or national registration.
Emperor Caesar’s decree compelled the humble couple, Joseph and Mary, to do the hard and rugged 70 miles journey from Nazareth in Galilee to their ancestral home in Bethlehem.
Joseph was a descendant of King David. When they arrived, they could not find any accommodation in Bethlehem.
In those days accommodation for them could be “a guest room in a private house” or “a public shelter for travellers” Since they had no space in those places, “Joseph and Mary moved into an area reserved for animals”. It was in that lowly environment that Mary “gave birth to her first born son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger” or feeding trough for animals. (Luke 2:6).
Bible teacher Mark Strauss notes, “there is a sense of poverty, rejection, and obscurity”. However, mere mortals, would not announce Christ’s birth. The host of angels from heaven sang to announce the birth of Jesus:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven
on earth, peace, goodwill
toward all people” Luke 2:14
The message of this hymn called “Gloria in excelsis Deo” speaks relevantly to our national life in Ghana today.
We in Ghana at Christmas 2016 need to raise a big chorus of gratitude and thankfulness to God in Heaven for the wonderful peace we enjoyed in this country before, during and after the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. Indeed, “Glory to God in the highest heaven!! He deserves our praise and worship!
Next, is the declaration of “peace on earth” –“peace in Ghana”. How can we thank God enough for the peace we enjoy in Ghana.
We cherish more peace and need to live in peace with one another in our communities across the country. We pray, “Lord Jesus, continue to give us peace in our hearts and peaceful living among us”.
Then comes the smoothing words: “Good-will towards all people”. Ghana has enjoyed God’s grace and peace. But we the people living Ghana have become so much polarised. We have been polarised in more than one way and especially politically this election year.
We need to put the political, ethnic, social and other hatchets of polarization into their sheaths: endeavour to do away with them and, experience true freedom in peace.
We must express and receive goodwill from fellow countrymen at Christmas and in the coming New Year.
So let us learn how to serve,
And in our lives enthrone Him;
Each other’s need to prefer,
For it is Christ we’re serving.
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A happy Christmas and prosperous New Year to all who are agents of peace and express good-will to all people.
(The author is a Leadership Development and Cross-cultural Ministries Consultant, an International, conference speaker and formerly General Director / CEO of Scripture Union Ghana. Email: ghanajesuscrusade@gmail.com / sughanaho@gmail.com)