Advent Devotion 18, Thursday, December 16

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (stanzas 1-2)

While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
And glory shone around

“Fear not,” he said,
For mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind,
To you and all mankind.

During my sophomore and junior year of college my parents lived in Amman, Jordan. Despite the fact that they lived in the capital, shepherds still brought their flocks around our house. From the front gate, you could see rather humble looking men, sitting with their flocks. These men were Bedouins, the Arab people that lived in tents, and stayed with their flocks all year round. They were dirty, uneducated and lived on the edges of society. That’s my image of shepherds, which is similar to shepherds in the Jesus time. However, the angels proclaimed Jesus birth to the shepherds. The shepherds were going about their business and the angels came to them and told them about Jesus.

Advent is a time that we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. We remember our LORD, our King, and our God’s birth. And in all the preparation and talk or a child who comes to us, I sometimes forget the majesty of it all. The shepherds saw the majesty of the angels and “mighty dread, Had seized their troubled minds.” It must have been almost impossible to imagine why God choose to make his son’s birth known to them, their fear is understandable. Yet the magic of advent is that all, kings, shepherds and everybody in between are invited to prepare for the Joy of our Christ’s birth. And while he came as a baby, he is not a child that deserves anything less than our awe, fear and worship.

I wonder what it would look like if we took this Advent season to remember the miracle it is that Jesus made himself known to us. If we, like the shepherds, see God’s majesty and remember that God came to us, not because of who we are, but who he is, then maybe we will be able to understand how the shepherds felt that night.

Lord, our magnificent savior, who came to us as a baby and made yourself nothing, so that we could have ever lasting life. Help us to prepare a way for you. Teach us to be humble and bow before your majesty. We pray in your holy and precious name. Amen.

Paula Frances Gay