“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:8-14 (KJV)
The shepherds had settled down in the fields outside Bethlehem. It was a clear, calm night. The stars twinkled brightly. Some of them had already stretched out on the ground with their sleeping blankets. Others relaxed by the fire talking quietly together. The sheep were lying down and quiet. It was a peaceful evening and the shepherds anticipated a restful night.
Suddenly they were shocked by the appearance of an angel in their midst. The glory of God flooded the whole camp. Every person backed away in fear. The angel spoke, “Do not fear. I have news that shall bring joy to all people.” This helped the shepherds some but they still remained silent and reverent. The angel continued, “Tonight, in the City of David, your Savior Christ the Lord has been born.” The shepherds looked at one another whispering among themselves not certain about what they were hearing. The angel motioned for them to be quiet and continued, “Yes, it’s true many babies could be born this evening in this city but here is the evidence by which you will recognize the Savior. His mother has wrapped him in the cloths used for wiping down animals. She has laid him in a feed trough.”
Then as if on cue, a large angelic choir appeared and sang, “Glory to God the highest majesty. Peace on earth, goodwill to mankind.” Awestruck, the shepherds listened to the most beautiful praise chorus they had ever heard. And for several minutes after the angels had disappeared, they sat quietly, lost in their reverie. Finally, one of the younger shepherds broke the silence and said, “Let us go see if we can find him.” The excitement of such a prospect caused several minutes of discussion. But they finally concluded they had been informed of his birth for this very reason: to go and find him, which they did.
People are still being directed to where the Savior is.
Dear Father, thank you for our Savior’s birth. Thank you for the joy it brings to all mankind. Grant that we may adore him all the days of our lives. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for his plan and live for his purpose,