So it's Christmastime again. What does it mean and why bother except for a few days off from work for most in the Western world?
Luke 2 v8 "In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. v9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified."
Luke tells us in his Gospel ("Good News" is what that word means) that some mangy low-life shepherds were at work as they were every night regardless of weather, illness, poverty or much else. And they all with major shock value experienced (however many of them were there that night) what they neither expected or had witnessed before:
Astonishing, incredibly bright light, a powerful angel speaking directly to them about fulfillment of the Hebrew prophetic scriptures that the Deliverer was born on earth not far from where they were tending sheep. They saw a massive army of angels in the sky, heard them singing praise to God. You know, all everyday stuff!!
So what is it you expect?
Over fifty years ago my life was invaded much like those disciples who had Jesus visit them (the first of several times) after His resurrection. My Christmas prior was a drug-trashed train wreck. The one after Jesus revealed Himself to me I was completely clean, sober, focused on Him, on the Father and the Spirit -unlike any other Christmas I'd ever known.
Do we have eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts open to the light of the Good News of Jesus -or is it merely about self, buzz, pleasures of gifts, a few family and friends that will eventually pass right back into the everyday mundane -and eventually pass away?
I wonder what happened in the lives of those rough sheep herders after that night.
You might wonder why such a display has never come your way as it did theirs. You might think all of this is a carefully contrived load of myths written in the Bible.
Then again, you might seek Him "while He may be found" and begin to understand the light that shines in the darkness, will never be put out, continues for eternity among the forever family of God in Christ beginning right here on this planet and in your own life.
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined." -Isaiah 9.2
I sincerely wish all reading this a truly Merry Christmas but I also truly doubt that it means all that much without the reason the season exists.
I praise God for sending His Son to open our eyes, forgive and save us!
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
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