It’s Monday! Beginning of the “work week” for many. Sometimes a factory might shut down for the week giving their employees Christmas week off. Usually on Christmas day most places are closed, except some restaurants, gas stations, and the movie theater.
I’ll tell you one group that doesn’t take Christmas off: farmers. The farming / agricultural lifestyle is 24/7/365, especially when livestock are involved. Cows, goats, and sheep don’t keep a calendar. So ranchers, goatherders, and shepherds have to be “on the clock” on Christmas Day in case something needs their attention.
So it was that first Christmas. We hear about Shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. And how something happened that needed their immediate attention:
Luke 2:8-15 (NLT2)
[8] That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. [9] Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, [10] but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. [11] The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! [12] And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” [13] Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, [14] “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” [15] When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
God certainly gained their attention! Thousands of angels singing … in the middle of a field … in the middle of the night … yeah, that’s startling. And they left work to check it out. Walked right out. Into Bethlehem. And they found it all just as the angels had said.
I was glad to read in Matthew that the Wise Men, educated scientists who could afford extravagant gifts were the first to seek the Lord. But, who was the first to FIND Him? Ordinary farmers. From far away and from that hilltop over yonder, people came to discover what God had done.
It’s all amazing to me, even after having heard and read the story hundreds of times.
Prayer: “Dear God, we invite You to gain our attention this Christmas. And when You do, we promise to check it out. To check You out and to be joyful as we see You at work. In Jesus’ name, amen.”