Glory to God in the Highest

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night…

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, 13-14 (NIV)

Shepherds. Why would God decide to announce the birth of His Son to a bunch of shepherds?

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.” (v.15)

Maybe shepherds didn’t know any better than to believe what they saw and tell others about it! Maybe they didn’t know that angels didn’t regularly appear in the sky and sing songs?! They had only been out on those hills tending sheep for generations! Maybe they didn’t know that people might not believe them; even ridicule them for telling such stories! Or maybe they were so struck by the Good News they had heard – that they couldn’t keep it to themselves!

God comes in the most ordinary of moments. And when He comes in to a moment…extra-ordinary things can occur. Angels sing. Black sky is lit up with His Light. Shepherds are elevated to evangelists and tell His Good News. Will I allow God to change my ordinary moments into extra-ordinary??? Will I look for these moments with the eyes of a shepherd? Taking with joy the Good News that God sends me! And then… will I share this Good news with other who are just as poor as I am?

“All honor and praise to our LORD in heaven! And also on earth is there peace to all on whom God’s grace, His love, rests.”

What a wonderful declaration! God has sent His Son – and we are blessed with His presence for all eternity!