See His Glory, Tell His Story
Surrounded by the gentle breezes of the night sky, I leaned against a cool rock deep in the field. I looked through the darkness, keeping a watchful eye on my flock of sheep. It was a quiet night in these Bethlehem fields. My shepherd friends and I chatted softly to keep ourselves awake through the late hours. Then suddenly an angel burst forth from the darkness, filling the sky with the brilliant radiance of God’s glory. Terrified, we quickly scurried to hide ourselves behind the rock. But the angel reassured us saying, “There is no reason to be afraid! For I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” We looked at one another curiously, continuing to listen to the angel’s message, slowly emerging from behind the rock. “Today in the little town of Bethlehem, the Savior has been born! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, He is here! And this will be a sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
As we came to our feet, the sky filled with a multitude of the heavenly host. All of heaven’s armies were praising God and shouting, “Glory to God in the highest! And peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!” We stood in awe, believing and rejoicing with the angels until they returned to heaven. And then we hurried to Bethlehem to see with our own eyes what the Lord, through his angels, had told us about.
When we arrived in the village, the innkeeper directed us to the stable out back. Moving past the donkey, the horses, an ox and a goat, we found Mary and Joseph sitting on the dirt floor. And next to them, lying in a bed of hay, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, slept the sweet baby boy in the manger. I met Mary’s gaze, and she gave an affirming nod as I walked slowly over to Him, amazed at the sight. I knelt beside His lowly bed. I touched His soft skin. I heard His newborn whimper. I was one of the first to experience God in the flesh. The Promised One had come. The Messiah is here! This news had to be shared! My friends and I couldn’t wait to tell anyone and everyone who would listen about this wonderful thing that has happened. Every person we met and spoke with marveled in wonder, astonished by the news we shared and the story we told. We made our way back to the fields to care for our flocks, all the while singing praises to God, glorifying Him, filled with unspeakable joy at all we had seen and heard, which was exactly as the angel had told us.
How awesome is it that shepherds were the first to hear the good news of great joy? Ordinary people doing ordinary work on an ordinary night. This is the third time in as many weeks that we have encountered an angel with an extraordinary message for an ordinary person. Each time the initial reaction is fear, but that fear is quickly cast out by the perfect love of a holy God with a plan so good it’s really unbelievable. And yet God causes each of these hearts to readily accept and believe. The shepherds heard and rejoiced. They couldn’t wait to see for themselves. And then after seeing and experiencing God in the flesh, the shepherds insisted on telling this good news to everyone with ears to hear. Oh, that we would do the same!
Oh, that we would be content to do faithfully the work of everyday life. Oh, that we would not dismiss the glorious in the mundane. Oh, that we would allow the perfect love of a holy God to cast out all fear. Oh, that we would quickly believe the Word of God and run with haste to see and experience it in our lives. Oh, that we would slow down to kneel before the Lord our Maker, in awe of the incarnate Christ. And oh, that we would be so moved, so filled, so impassioned, so eager to share the good news of great joy; that we would marvel in wonder with those who are hearing for the first time; that we would demonstrate continued astonishment at the power and unstoppable love of God; that we would live out our days in the fields that God has ordained for us, all the while shouting highest praises to God for all that we have seen and heard in our own lives, and glorifying Him for being faithful to do exactly as He said. Oh, that we would see His glory and then tell His story!
