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 !!!