Finding Joy in Our Love
By Sara Risi
“Did you know you were pregnant with twins?” the ultrasound technician asked. I began to laugh while my husband seemed to go into a state of shock. We had 3 ultrasounds prior to this that showed one baby, and yet here we were in a dark room learning that there were indeed two babies instead of one.
Storytelling is a great source of joy for me, and this is one of my favorite stories to tell, and when I think about joy I often think of my children. They are my greatest sources of joy, but that day in that room there was a lot of fear there as well. We had been hoping for a child for so long and we had found so much peace that we were finally pregnant. It was quite the shock to learn that we would be welcoming two instead of one.
Luke 2:9-11 Then the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Much like my husband's shock at the news from the ultrasound tech, I imagine that the shepherds in the field were in even more shock and fear at the sight of the angel proclaiming the birth of our Savior. Yet the angel was right that they were getting good news and great joy for all the people.
It can be easy to let fear take over when we are in situations where we don’t have all of the information or know what will unfold, but Christ is indeed good news for us, and trusting in Him will often lead us to the greatest joys of our life.
Dear Lord,
Help us to find joy in all circumstances, and to trust in you when joy is hard to find.
St. John member Sara Risi is leader of our Mini-Methodists (M&Ms) and vice chair of Church Council.