bubbling over

Have you ever received such good news that you couldn’t contain your excitement and had to run to tell everyone?

I had, when I found out that I got a 4-year scholarship to study in the States. I was so excited – it was such good news, so unexpected, such a miracle – that I couldn’t sit still on the bus. It was travelling too slow! I got off the bus one stop early and ran all the way home to tell my family.

I felt a little like that this morning. I was walking up the hill to church when I heard the choir sing out, “Arise Shine! For the Light has come!” and I was suddenly filled with inexplicable joy. I started to run part of the ways up the hill, ‘cos I wanted to be there, to be part of the moment, part of the telling of the awesome news – the Saviour has come!

It was an awesome Christmas Service. The sanctuary was packed shoulder to shoulder, but I felt like I couldn’t keep still. There it was, in the words of all the carols, on the face of the worship leader when he quietly wiped away a tear, in the passion of the conductor, in the scripture reading, in the smiles of the ushers – there it was – the good news of Christmas – everywhere – joy bubbling over. The promise fulfilled! The Messiah come! Baby Jesus in a manger.

Joy to the World! The Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing!

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground!
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove!
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.

Merry Christmas everyone! :)