An angel brought good news on Christmas Eve.
It’s Christmas Eve at last. I have tried diligently to be more intentional this Advent Season and to really seek God and I have found Him in so many places, from Christmas decorations to Wal-Mart of all places.
Tonight is such an exciting night and we should all be giddy like little children are with the hope and the promise of it all. Tonight some two thousand years ago, humanity was changed forever. Tonight, in a stable in Bethlehem, a young girl went into labor and a baby took his very first breath, a breath that would eventually guarantee salvation for the entire world.
God Almighty, came into the world as a tiny, helpless human infant. The enormity of it is astounding.
The angel said to the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes the Messiah, the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem in the city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. Suddenly the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven-praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:10-14
What do you think the shepherds said? “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15
Did they debate it among themselves? Did they sleep on it and check it out in the morning. Nope. They went. God sent them angels and they went. Ever notice how those who have the least material wealth often have the most faith? They went and they found what they were seeking.
The scripture goes on to say they found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger and they told everyone they ran into their story. Then they went back to their flocks “glorifying and praising God.”
The shepherds had an encounter with Jesus and they were never the same. They just had to tell everyone they ran into about their good news. They couldn’t keep it to themselves. It was too good not to share.
We can still encounter Jesus in the same way the shepherds did, not face-to-face on this side of heaven, but we can still encounter him and when we do, when we really open up our hearts to him and all that he is, like the shepherds, we are never the same. We just have to share the good news. The joy is too much to contain. We have the need to glorify and praise God.
So on this Christmas Eve, we should all be excited and joyful at the wonder of it all. We should seek him. The entire world went to bed lost that night in Bethlehem, but when the sun rose a savior had been born and the whole world had hope and that’s something we all need more of. May the hope of Jesus fill your heart this Christmas Eve.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂