Good morning. As I have mentioned in our most recent thoughts for the day, I am directing this week’s thoughts to Luke 2.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:8-14
It was in the middle of the night, but a shepherd’s work was never done. They would gather their flocks of sheep together and take turns keeping watch. Some slept and some kept watch, always on the lookout for trouble. Would wolves come looking for a meal? Perhaps a bear or even a lion? Would thieves attempt to sneak away in the night, stealing the precious lambs under their care? The shepherds would have been ready. One yell from any of those keeping watch would have immediately brought them all to their feet, their staffs swinging up, their slings being armed with stones.
They were ready, but not for this! Suddenly, in an instant, the quiet of the night was shattered. Yells would have brought them all to full alert, but not for danger to their flocks. No, this was something else entirely. The dark sky shared the usual scene of stars, planets, and the moon, but in that sky on this night was an intruder.
They were shocked, terrified, mystified. An angel from heaven was in their midst and the glory of the Lord was brilliantly blinding their eyes. Oh, what a night to be a shepherd on the hills near Bethlehem!
The angel shouted the message, telling them not to fear. Good luck with that I would imagine. But the message continued and it would have hit home. They were Jews, and they had been raised to expect the Messiah. It was His coming that the angel announced. “Could it be? Here and now, the angel of God speaking to us?”
An instant later all doubts and questions were swept away for it wasn’t one angel giving them a heavenly message, it was a multitude! In the Greek language of the Bible that word indicates a number that cannot be counted, and the multitude shared one great voice, one great message: Praise God! Glory to Him in the highest! Peace to mankind!
Join in the wonder, the praise, the joy of that night this week.
Vern