I have to admit, I've been sort of obsessed with this moment in Luke 2: 8-14 for years...
One angel appears to the shepherds. (They have to send just one representative .because when people see angels we FREAK OUT... and he's got a message for these shepherds... So the one angel appears and starts off with "DON'T BE AFRAID" (because like, I said, fear is a common response to seeing an ANGEL!!!! "I have good news of great joy for all people... there's this baby savior, tiny messiah, go find him wrapped up in a manger"... and he can barely get that message out... before the REST OF THE ANGELS, who've been concealed and have been holding back their praise, can't be restrained any longer... they BURST into unfettered worship... "and SUDDENLY a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, Peace on Earth and Good will to mankind.”
It's more than praise though, isn't it! It's Glory to God in the Highest... of course! But it's more than that. It's a proclaimation that everything mankind has been waiting for is set in motion NOW! The long awaited Messiah is Here. The Prince of Peace- Peace HIMSELF has been born among us! and HE is the gift of Good will from God to humanity. "The reconciliation that the entire human timeline is hinged on is happening TODAY" and the angels can't keep quite about it! I get excited every year at Christmas time, because I FEEL the fulfillment of that human longing and the expression of that goodwill mimicked in so much of what we do when we are celebrating Christmas.
Here's what happened next.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. ~Luke 2:15-20
Maybe Angels haven't appeared to us recently, but we have experienced the peace of knowing Christ and benefitted from God's good will toward us... and we have some pretty great opportunities in our community to "spread the word" about Jesus this Christmas season.
Consider letting your praises loose by reconnecting with a family you already served this year. Offer them additional help, or prayer, or invite them to a special church service or a meal. Think about responding to a current CarePortal Request and brightening the holidays for a family in need this season. If you can't provide a tangible need right now, sign in to your CarePortal account or open CarePortal.org and commit to pray for a few families using the "pray button". May the Lord bless you with appointed moments where your joy can overflow. May He banish all fear so that His message is CLEAR. And may every "shepherd" lowly as we are- accept our calling and RUN WILD with excitement to share this good news!!
~amen!
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