“Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.”

Psalm‬ ‭100:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The thing about good news is that it lifts you up. It makes a dark day brighter. It reminds you that you are right to live in hope. 

Even if it’s not your own good news. I heard from a friend today that he and his wife are expecting. It’s good news. It doesn’t directly affect my day to day life, but I am happy for my friends. I will be praying for them and looking forward to the day when the first pictures of the new child are shared. 

This good news reminds me that hope is a good way to live. That if I choose to live a life in which I find hope in the promises of God, that hope will be rewarded. Good news will happen. And with good news will come celebration.

The angelic announcements of the coming of the Messiah were very good news. And though they were sometimes met with uncertainty, with doubt, even with some fear – it’s been more than 2000 years and we are still celebrating the good news brought by the Angels. 

The birth of the Messiah, the coming of the King, is to be celebrated. Not just at this wonderful time of year, but daily. In good seasons and bad seasons, in easy times and difficult times, in the exciting moments and in the moments of dull routine. 

Because the Messiah, Jesus, is where our hope is found, where our salvation is found, where our freedom is found. 

May you – and I – remember daily to enter his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts, and enter his courts with praise. For the Messiah. For Jesus. For the very good news!