Destination Love

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”
Luke 2:15

It’s been quite a journey, but then the journey of life is quite an adventure isn’t it. We have traveled with Mary as she overcame fear to find hope knowing that God planned to use her ordinary life to carry out his extraordinary plan. We followed her as she walked from her home to the Judean hill country to see Elizabeth and gain peace as all Gabriel had spoken to her is confirmed. We witness what must have bought great joy to her as Joseph in his God given righteousness still takes her as his wife, because he loved God and he loved her.

Together they have journeyed to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. When they arrived at their destination they found the town filled with people and there is no room for them. Imagine what it would be like in our modern world to turn up at a hospital to have a baby only to be turned away because they were full. What must it have been like for them not having a comfortable place to have their baby in? One person gave them the only space left, a place among the animals. Perhaps it was a bit smelly, but it was warm and dry. There was a comfortable place to lay their new son. It was a good destination for love to truly enter into the world.

As Jesus is being born, God has sent another messenger to our planet, to share good news of great joy with a bunch of shepherds. As soon as the angel choir disappears these shepherds who in a matter of moments have traveled from fear to hope to peace to joy set out to see this child, to reach their destination of love.

The shepherds would share the news with all who would listen and return to their work, praising God for all they had seen, realizing their lives would never be the same because Love had chosen them and had made its destination their hearts.

Jesus’ journey would take many turns; detours even as He traveled to the destination love would lead Him to - the cross.

Fear becomes hope. Hope leads to peace. Hope and peace are great traveling companions and with them we find joy. But our destination is the most important, our destination is love - the love we can only find in Jesus.

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the greatest gift we can ever hope to receive - the love of your Son. A love that allows us to live without fear, filled with hope, peace and joy. A love that changes cold, hard hearts to ones that beat for you. A love that restores our relationship with You and fills us to overflowing. Show us the people around who need to make the journey to Your heart and help us journey with them. In the name of Jesus, who is our destination love – Amen.