9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. … 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Dear Ones: On Earth Peace, Goodwill toward men! These are the words of the angelic host. The birth of our Lord is for every man, woman, and child to benefit from. Peace comes through Him to reconcile the lost human race back to our Father. Goodwill connotes a kindly feeling of approval and support: benevolent interest or concern. The Word of God (Jesus Christ) came as a baby to establish Peace and Goodwill toward anyone who receives Him as Lord. The door is open to all human beings: the race of the first Adam.
The majestic heavenly host appeared in glory to announce Messiah’s birth. Angelic interactions with mankind occur when the supernatural is poised to interrupt the natural course of things. Angels come to prepare us for the interruption and to declare what is coming. In this Christmas season let us remember and rehearse the words of the heavenly choir.
May the refrain, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” fill your heart. Remember, God is big enough to interrupt the natural course of events to align with His plans for you, your family, and your nation. As you sing this refrain, welcome the host to join with you to celebrate the goodwill of God toward you and yours. Have a joyful weekend. I bless you in Jesus’ name.