Totally Unprepared
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
If you think about it, this piece of the Bible in Luke 2: 8-15 tells us pretty much for sure that the first Christmas was not in winter, not in snow. Israel has much the same climate as Southern California, and shepherds are not out in the fields during winter. They are in the field during spring. More than likely, the real birth date of Jesus is in the spring, perhaps around Passover. That’s just my opinion, but it makes sense to me.
So, whatever time of year it is, there they are, those shepherds, out beneath the canopy of stars in the great outdoors. Dark. It is usually quite dark in the great outdoors, in the field, at night. VERY dark, if there’s no moon. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, with no warning… WHAM!…
“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.”
Oh yes! Greatly afraid. Can you imagine the shock? Real angels are not fluffy things of the imagination. They are powerful created beings. It would take just 3 of them to destroy the earth, according to Revelations, as I read it. I would think that this particular appearance, with the ‘glory of the Lord’ accompanying, would be nearly overwhelming. The angel understands the effect in them that he is causing, because…
“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’”
Okay. The shepherds’ hearts are probably beating almost normally by now. They had a shock, but they’re recovering. They are in the presence of a spiritual being with overwhelming power, but it seems quite friendly. I can imagine them almost starting to smile.
“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, toward men of good will!’”
Great God Almighty! They must have just freaked out completely! I certainly would have! I do, almost, just thinking about it! Not just one shining brightly angel, but a huge bunch, a ‘host’, a great assemblage of angels and perhaps seraphim and cherubim, whatever those things are but I imagine quite powerful and amazing looking, and who knows what else.
All of them singing for joy because the most wonderful news has been given to men. Happy, happy news. News that the Lord of Heaven just could not keep to Himself, because He is so happy about it. Shared first with the most humble of heart. Beautiful… and perfect.
What did the shepherds do?
“So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’”
They accepted the invitation.
That invitation is extended to each of us, all the time. All we have to do is reach out and accept it. Is it time for you to do so?
