Imagine being a shepherd watching sheep at night.聽
Now imagine watching sheep for years and years of nights.聽That does not sound very interesting or overly exciting.聽Yet, one night, was unlike any other.
鈥淎nd there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.聽An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified鈥� (Luke 2:8-9).
Of course they were terrified.聽However, that fear did not last for long because the angel said, 鈥淚 bring you good news of great joy鈥� a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!鈥� (verses 10-11).聽
Then that strange night became even more strange when a crowd of heavenly beings appeared saying, 鈥淕lory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests鈥� (verse 14).
You know what happens next:聽The shepherds decide to go and see the baby and after they do, they 鈥淪pread the word concerning what had been told them about this child鈥� (verse 17).聽
Here is part of the story that you might not remember:聽聽Scripture notes that, after this, 鈥淭he shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God鈥� (verse 20).聽Returned to what?聽To watching their sheep at night.聽They went back to their fields and back to the darkness, but I imagine that they never saw the darkness in the same way again.聽聽
How could they?聽From that day forward, every starry night had to remind them of the time that God broke into their boring, dark lives with news of joy, hope, and light.
I like that the shepherds heard the message in the night.聽
Remember too that Jesus was born before the angel appeared.聽In other words, Jesus was born at night.聽You may also recall that on the resurrection morning, it was still dark when the women got to the empty tomb.聽Jesus rose in the night.
This has been a tough year.聽In big and small ways, it has been filled with frustration, worry, and sadness, but God has not forgotten us.聽He has not fallen asleep.聽We are not without hope and light and joy.
It may seem dark right now, but, thankfully, God still works at night.
