When the government decides to take a census, everyone must cooperate. The fact that Mary is 9 months pregnant will not keep them from having to travel to their home town. And since everyone is traveling, finding lodging is not easy. Mary and Joseph end up in a stable and the baby decides to come. Why God chose for his son to be born in a stable to poor parents who were essentially refugees, I have difficulty understanding. I imagine the angels were there hovering, staying out of the way but there to make sure Jesus was protected.
And then God who is the proud Papa had to tell someone. And he chose the lowly shepherds to make this announcement to. “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” [I’d be too if the sky was suddenly lit up with bright light in the middle of the night!] “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’” Luke 2:8-14 “Do not be afraid.” Here it is again. When the angel first shows up, the shepherds are terrified and he quickly says, “Do not be afraid.” Once he has them calmed a bit more, he tells them the good news: A Savior has been born. The Messiah has come!
I wonder why God chose to tell lowly shepherds. Was it because God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble? James 4:6 Or was it because they wouldn’t question what they saw and would go? Or was it that lowly shepherds were the ones who were quiet and open to hearing the message? Why didn’t God send angels all across the sky around the whole world announcing the birth of his Son? Maybe he did and no one but the shepherds looked up! Or maybe it was because the news was for “all people” and God knew the shepherds would share freely what they had seen and heard and he got a kick out of seeing the lowly shepherds having fantastic news to share with others. Usually the last to know, this time they were the first!
A few years ago, I walked outside for a moment and noticed someone standing several yards away gazing into the sky. At first I was amused by them and then after a while, I became curious and looked up to see what this person might be looking at. Wow! The sky was lit with the Northern Lights colorfully dancing in the sky. I realized that if he had not been standing there looking into the sky, I would have missed a most beautiful display of God’s creativity. I quickly let some others know and we all stood there enjoying the display for the next half hour.
I wonder how many times God displays his glory in the sky or otherwise and I miss it simply because I do not look up. The angels got the attention of the shepherds. And then they acted on the information and went to Bethlehem to see the special baby. Once they saw him, they immediately began to tell others what they saw both in the sky and in the manger and what the angels had told them about this.
When we see God’s glory, just like the shepherds, we have to tell others. But how many times do we miss God’s glory because we don’t look up or listen. Many times I have said and have heard others say that we wish God would write the answer in the sky for us or speak audibly to us and tell us what we should do. First of all, I think I’d be terrified if I saw the answer written in the sky and I’d need an angel standing there saying, “Do not be afraid!” But secondly, maybe God does write the answer all around me in his quiet way and I need to look up in order to see it. And if I don’t look up on my own, I need to at least see someone else looking up and follow their gaze so I don’t miss the glory of God working in my life. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places. Maybe I’m looking where I want the answer to be rather than where God is quietly pointing me.
After the shepherds left to tell others the amazing events of the night, we are told, “Mary treasured these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 I’m pretty sure God knew what he was doing in choosing Mary to be the mother of his Son. She did not elevate herself in importance because of the events, but rather, she treasured them and pondered them. I think that this is a very good clue about finding God’s answers to things – treasuring what is happening and pondering it. That state of mind makes us open to seeing and hearing what God is doing.
Lord, help me take time to ponder the treasures that you are giving me daily in my life. Open my eyes to see your glory displayed for those who will take the time to look up and see what you have quietly done while others are sleeping. I don’t want to miss you because I am too preoccupied with other things. I want to see you in all your creative glory quietly making your presence known to those who will look up and listen.
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