“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with whom he is pleased!’
“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” Luke 2:8-20
Rugged shepherds and a heavenly angel. Thick darkness and the glory of the Lord shining. Night’s silence and joyful proclamation. Fear against promise. The unexpected and the eternal plan. The Savior as a baby. Christ the Lord swaddled in a manger. Hushed wonder and a multitude of angels praising. Stunned fright to ‘Let us go and see.’ The contrasts that holy night were stark and intentional. Such is Jesus the perfect Savior breaking into the hopeless estate of man, His complete otherness entering man’s squalor to redeem.
Most of our days we wander the fields. Intentions are horizontal, pastures marked out, sights limited. We settle for life in the low lands in the company of amblers. And Christ Jesus breaks in to interject joy-filled hope, to stun us with His beauty, to lift our gaze. He bridges the gap in our existences to make real the pretend, to offer purpose and fulfillment. Are we looking, listening? How do we respond? (2 Corinthians 5:21)
How does Jesus stand in contrast to our way of thinking and planning? How non-negotiable and set are our schedules? Do we make time to leave our grind to consider Him, to wonder and harken and praise, to explore possibilities with the Holy One? How might we lessen the gap between selfish temporary efforts and eternal pursuit? What are we doing to cooperate with the Spirit’s sanctifying presence by working out His glorious salvation? (Romans 12:2; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 3:1-4)
“Joy to the world; the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
And heav’n and nature sing.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.” ~Isaac Watts (1719)
Lord, align my life with Yours in glorious contrast to the world.
As the rain and snow 