In the digital world of electronics, which includes all recordings or any broadcast, there’s a term called "separating the signal from the noise." The signal is what you want people to hear or that you want to hear. The noise is any interference that distracts you from hearing the signal.  

Sometimes, the noise is static on a radio station, which you don't have a good signal. Sometimes, it's a microphone that cuts in and out or a mic with a bad connection that causes a terrible scratching noise. Sometimes, it happens when you're in a room with other people, and the volume of people talking is so loud that you have trouble carrying on a conversation with the person of your choosing. Whatever causes a distraction from the signal that you are interested in hearing or knowing about, that distraction is the noise.  

In a recording, whether audio or video, today’s electronic equipment can pull the signal to better clarity or reduce the noise so the signal is more distinguishable or even very clear. The right equipment can do a great job of clearing out the noise.

For those of us who grew up in the sixties and seventies, one example of noise is the 45 rpm records and AM radio stations we listened to. Sometimes, the words on those old 45 rpm records or AM radio stations were distorted (noise), yet we loved the beat, music, and words that we easily understood, so we enjoyed the music. Later, however, when FM radio stations and digital recordings (the clear signals) came along, we were astonished to learn that words we could not understand when we were teenagers were vulgar and wildly inappropriate.  

You've heard the mistakes children have made concerning Christmas songs that contain noise for young ears. Did you know that the song, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” has another reindeer named that we forget: "Olive, the other reindeer"? Or did you know Joseph's other name in the song "Silent Night"? His name is "Round John Virgin, mother and child." Another song is "Joy to the World." Did you know that Jesus came chewing gum? "Joy to the World! The Lord has gum."

These are all mild and funny forms of kids hearing the noise instead of the clear signal.

Let's apply God's signal versus the noise in our lives. God wants us to hear the signal, His Word and love for us, yet the world is noisy. We know we are to read the Bible daily (the signal), yet the noise of the world gets in our way. Sometimes, it's our kids or grandkids that create the noise. Sometimes, we stay up too late the night before (the noise) and are too tired to focus on God, or maybe sleep eluded us that night (the noise), but not in the daytime when our eyelids are heavy with sleep, so we're tired and grumpy. Maybe we intended to help someone with a task, but something came up that took us from serving that person (the noise). Maybe it’s the television or sport event. Either way, life is full of distractions (noise) that take us from God's signal.

With Christmas rapidly approaching, almost all of us are focusing on the birth of Christ. We're trying to focus on peace on earth and joy for all. We recognize the signal that God sends to us in this holiday season, yet we also know the season is full of noise, those distractions that disrupt your peace and joy. The noise comes in the form of shopping, Christmas lists, coworkers, relatives, lack of sleep, meals to prepare, parties to attend, plus family and friends that stretch you beyond your ability to stay jolly. Yet, with all the noise out there, we try our best to stay focused on the signal: Christmas.

Despite the noise that distracts us, we have our means of staying focused on the season. Church is one way. Each weekend, churches provide a clear signal (or at least a clearer signal). Each week's church service provides a respite from the noise. Even if you have small children, most churches offer nurseries that allow you to have an hour's worth of peace as you sing Christmas hymns and listen to a sermon relating to our Lord's birth.

Your Christmas focus might mean you will take a moment after everyone is in bed or draw bath water and lock the door so you can read the birth narrative and meditate on God’s love for you in sending Jesus into the world. You could awaken a few minutes early to pray and meditate on Jesus' birth. If you search for and make a whole-hearted attempt, you can always find a few minutes to take time for peace and joy. But it often doesn't come easy. It takes focus, sometimes a Christmas laser focus. But we sometimes manage to do it because it's the season of Christ's birth.

Sure, Satan makes noise, lots of noise that distracts us from God’s signal, but it’s our task to sort it out. For the most part, we do a pretty good job of hearing God’s signal on Christmas day. We get up early. We open presents. We read the birth story. We enjoy a good breakfast, entertain family and guests, or go to their house. And on Christmas day, we have a pretty good signal from God that Jesus came to us as a baby to save the world from our sins.  

Rather than laser focus for a small portion of the season on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, let's see if we can better focus on the gift of Jesus most of the Christmas season. Satan will cause noise that will distort God's signal at times, but that's the reality of life with sin in the world. God gave each of us the job and the ability to edit out the noise, which we must expand to the entire season. This Christmas season, let's accept the challenge of cleaning up the signal coming from God. That means eliminating or containing the noise so it will not distort the signal.  

May God give you your clear signal of peace and joy, and may you do your best to eliminate the noise. 

Kenny

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. - Luke 2:14