The Joy of Good News

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading, titled The Joy of Good News, was written by Wynn Collier. One evening in 1964, the great Alaska earthquake shocked and writhed for more than four minutes, registering a 9.2 magnitude.

In Anchorage, whole city blocks disappeared, leaving only massive craters and rubble. Through the dark, terrifying night, news reporter Jeannie Chance stood at her microphone, passing along messages to desperate people sitting by their radios. A husband working in the bush heard that his wife was alive. Distraught families heard that their sons on a Boy Scout camping trip were okay.

A couple heard that their children had been found. The radio crackled with line after line of good news, pure joy amid the ruin. This must have been something like what Israel felt when they heard these words from the prophet Isaiah, The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. As they looked over the wasteland of their wrecked lives and grim future, Isaiah's clear voice brought good news at the very moment when all seemed lost.

God intended to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, to rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated. In the midst of their terror, the people heard God's assuring promise, His good news. For us today, it's in Jesus that we hear God's good news. This is what the word gospel means. Into our fears, pains, and failures, He delivers good news, and our distress gives way to joy. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Isaiah chapter 61 verses 1 through 7. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated.

They will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks, foreigners will work your fields and vineyards, and you will be called priests of the Lord. You will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame, you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace, you will rejoice in your inheritance.

And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. Let's pray. God, we are constantly peppered with bad news everywhere we look, and the burden sometimes is just too much for us to bear. Thank you for the good news of your love, forgiveness, and acceptance, and for always being there, leading us, encouraging us, and most of all, giving us hope. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening. I'm Stephen, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.