Friday, May 11, 2012

Need some Good News?

This is open association Friday. In other words, open the Bible, look where I've found myself and comment. (We'll see where this takes us).

Let's see, open saysme....NAHUM 1. Uh, seldom been there. What do we find there? Let's see, oh, how about verse 15..."Look, a messenger is coming over the mountains with good news! He is on his way to announce the victory." From the NIV, it reads, "Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed."
Let's think about it for a moment, just a moment this day, about the Good News as opposed to the good news.

Good news. Wonderful news. A peace is in the making.

Let's paint a picture here: The battle, heck, even the war is over. Then, as a worried populace waits, behold upon the mountains, the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace comes running. From mountain-top to mountain-top the beacon fires are lit. They spread the glad tidings like angels from on high. The war is done. We've survived, even won. Judah, before hindered by armies from going up to Jerusalem, its cities taken may now again "keep the feasts" there, and "pay the vows," which "in trouble she promised;" "for the wicked one," the ungodly Sennacherib, "is utterly cut off, he shall no more pass through you;" "the army and king and empire of the Assyrians have perished."

There's something wonderful about someone who brings good news, isn't it? The writers of scripture certainly thought so.

The prophet Isaiah wrote, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

The apostle Paul took this verse and put it as part of the salvation plan. He wrote in Romans 10:15, "And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Paul said it another way: Rejoice, he told the Philippians. Rejoice. Rejoice.

The Good News has come.

Oh, but that we could proclaim Good News from on high today. Oh, we can. Got to remember that, huh?

Andre Crouch, that noted songwriter, put it this way: "Through it all, through it all; I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God."

Today that's the Good News. And I'm the one with those calloused and ugly but ultimately beautiful feet to tell you: Come on home. The battle is over. Jesus has won. Come join us for the feasts of bread and wine. Come.

That's the Good News for this day (suddenly I'm exhibiting my inner Paul Harvey), May 11, 2012.

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