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SHEPHERDS

Heavenly Father, the One who formed me in the womb and wrote out the days of my life. Thank You for Your perfect, wonderful knowledge of me. Warm my heart with passion for You today. Amen

LUKE 2:8-20

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’ 15 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.’ 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

THIS WILL BE A SIGN TO YOU: YOU WILL FIND A BABY WRAPPED IN CLOTHS AND LYING IN A MANGER.

LUKE 2:12

The angel bypassed Jerusalem, the religious centre of Israel� He didn’t go to Herodium, Herod’s villa near Bethlehem� He appeared instead to a band of shepherds tending their focks.

Back then no one thought God would be interested in shepherds, or that shepherds would be interested in God� Shepherds were notoriously irreligious, ranked by the rabbis with prosttutes and other ‘habitual sinners’. They were outcasts, barred from the synagogue and polite society. They assumed that God would never accept them, and they were afraid of Him�

But God spoke to them� I think He knew that these shepherds, like so many people who appear indiferent to spiritual things, were quietly longing for God�

All of us have a longing for something more. And no mater how hard we try to appear self-sufcient, sooner or later we run out of something essental—love, money, tme or life. Isolaton, loneliness and fear of death lead us to acknowledge our need for a Saviour. But where can we fnd Him?

The angel’s words to the shepherds were simple and direct: “There is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (LUKE 2:11)� You can fnd Him too. o

DAVID H ROPER

Read today’s passage again. How does it encourage you that God’s message to these ‘outcast’ shepherds is “Do not be afraid” (v. 10) and “peace” (v. 14)?

Lord Jesus, I need You for ever y moment , for ever y breath. Thank You for coming to save me and to bring me peace with You forever.