Today is Friday, December 19th, 2008; Karen's Korner #1470

Several sentences exerpted from an internet writing titled "The Full Story":
 
"The angel Gabriel said to Mary: 'Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.' Mary was very surprised by this and wondered what the angel meant. The angel said to her 'Don't be afraid, God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy and you will call him Jesus. He will be God's own Son and his kingdom will never end.'
 
"Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: 'Don't be afraid to have Mary as your wife.' The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son and told Joseph that the baby would be named Jesus which means 'Saviour' because he would save people
 
"In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared before them and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.'."
 
***
Why were Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds told by an angel, "Don't be afraid". Was it because what was going to happen or what was happening was so out of the ordinary it would be frightening otherwise?
 
Is that the message of the Christmas story not only at Christmas time but for all of us all year through? Does a Saviour come into our midst no matter the time, place, or dilemma and say, "Don't be afraid. I am here and I will take care of you." Regardless of how the situation appears?
 
Fear paralyzes us; faith helps us move on and move ahead!
 
***
 

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