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A Christmas Devotional
Angels we have heard on high
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Come to Bethlehem and see
See Him in a manger laid, The lyrics to this great Christmas carol were written in the 1800s as an expression of awe, but for many people the meaning of the words has faded after many years of singing this song, and it is now part of the rote singing we do with so many Christmas carols. We know the story, we can even repeat it when necessary, but we don't have the profound sense of amazement that the song expresses. This carol describes a most amazing sight witnessed by some of the lowliest of people at the time of Christ's birth - the shepherds. Stop for just a moment and imagine their wonder at a sky filled with angels proclaiming Gloria in excelsis Deo! Glory to God in the Highest! Put yourself in the skin of a shepherd. It's another long night. You're sleeping, probably resting on your staff, ready to get up quickly and protect the sheep from marauding predators or other lurking danger.
Luke 1:8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished,
Astonished? No kidding! What an amazing moment. No human had ever seen such a sight. But God chose sheep herders to be the first witnesses to a world-changing announcement done in a breathtaking way - a night sky filled with angels. Everyone else missed it. They were asleep, comfortable in their beds, unaware that the world had just taken a monumental shift - the promised savior for the entire world was born this day in Bethlehem. In many ways, we miss it most years, too. It seems like we have fewer experiences of awe these days. Terror - yes. Tragedy - yes. Heartwarming stories - yes. We see what's happening in the world instantly, on our phones, our tablets, our YouTube, our computers. Technology has made it possible to instantly transmit good and bad news around the world. Sadly, in our lives of busyness and information overload, we almost always miss the awe-inspiring moments with God. Our relationship with Him too often is simply taken for granted. For many years I missed Christmas. The activities went on around me but I was so focused on our business that I begrudgingly (and just barely) took time off for the requisite Christmas time activities. This Christmas, I am looking for the star and the angels and the baby in the manger. It won't be like I imagine it. There probably won't be a giant star in the sky, or angels, or the Christ child in a manger. Instead, it will probably be one person saying one thing at a moment when I have deliberately stopped doing whatever I was doing to listen. Remember, only the shepherds saw and heard the angels. Everyone else heard about it from them. Look for and listen to the shepherds. Perhaps this year the shepherds will be a homeless person. Or maybe a young child. In that moment their words can strike you like lightening as you realize, "That's it!" It's the Christmas story. Don't miss it. Questions:
1. Think about some awe-inspiring moments you've had with God. How have these moments transformed you?
© 2017 Ron Wilbur. All Rights Reserved. |