Thursday, December 24, 2009

Wishing YOU a Blessed Christmas!

I learned something this year that I had not heard before....
Always in my mind the shepherds to whom the angel appeared with the Good News were men. But someone explaining the customs of that time said that the shepherds were always the old or the feeble , women and children, or the youngest boy in the family - shepherding was a lowly job.
I don't know who the shepherds were, since we are not told in scripture, but is it not like God to give more to those who are thought less of in their society?

How exciting it must have been to those shepherds, in the midst of another endless night of watching sheep to suddenly have the heavens open to them with the most glorious display!
It always moves me when I think of God purposely choosing the poor, the weak, the ordinary to display His glory to or give His special gifts !
There truly is no respecter of persons with God -- unless it is in favor of those the world rejects.
Isn't it reassuring to know that we need never fear that we are not 'good enough' to approach God ?
In sending His Son ... He sent an open invitation to you and me - no matter who we are - to come into His Presence!
Read the words of that beautiful story of the shepherds ... again ... and imagine YOU are one of them.. Imagine what it must have been like that glorious night !

Luk 2:8-20 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.


I wish you a very blessed, glorious Christmas season. May you with the shepherds of old rejoice over the good news that is still the best news man has ever heard !!!

8 comments:

Anneliese said...

Julie, I want to take this moment to wish you and your loved ones God's joy and peace this Christmas. I know your family is blessed to have you in their lives and so am I.

Anonymous said...

Julie, thank you for this lovely post. At Christmas I often think of myself as being one of the shepherds. I love the thought of the 'suddenly'. How exciting that news must have been....once their fears were dismissed. Blessings to you are your family as you celebrate together. Kathy (MGCC)

Judy said...

Thank-you, Julie...for this post, for your friendship and for your Christmas wishes. I will think of your picture of the shepherds as I hear the Christmas story this year...and imagine myself as one of them.

May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.

Marg said...

Thank-you for your imagery once again. I'm trying to think of what it was like for Mary...WOW!
May you feel God's Peace and Blessing in your home this Christmas Season.

Thoughts on Life and Millinery. said...

Happy Christmas Julie!

I've alway wondered why the shepards didn't talk about that night for years and years.

Maybe they just needed a talk TV show to go on...can't you just picture them telling Oprah what they saw?

Lovella ♥ said...

Julie. .I came here this morning to say Merry Christmas and also knowing that there would be beautiful fresh words of the birth of Christ. .and there is.
Blessings on you and your family.

Vicki said...

We are rejoicing once again in the wonderful news that is celebrated on this day! Peace be to you and yours, and Merry Christmas!

Karin said...

Thanks for this lovely post! I love that the shepherds actually did what the angel told them to do. They checked it all out and found it to be true! That would be me, always checking things out, especially when it seems that it can't possibly be true!! And then the shepherds didn't keep this news to themselves but shared the joy!

"Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them."

I can certainly relate to the shepherds - not being one of the wise men. What an awesome God we have!