“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.” Luke 2:9-14
Let’s take a little peek into heaven and imagine what it had been like for a little while. We don’t know how many angels had been chosen for this special mission, but I am sure they had been rehearsing their lines and their song for some time, anxiously awaiting when the perfect time would come, when they would be told to go to earth and perform what they had been rehearsing. They may have watched with eager eyes, as Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem. They probably wanted to do something when they saw how hard it was for them to find a place to stay. But they were told that their mission was not in the town of Bethlehem, but to the hills outside of town.
Can you imagine their excitement, when the command was given to go? Winging their way quickly to the chosen hillside, they startled the shepherds with their brightness. The angel of the Lord who had been chosen to speak told them not to fear. He told them that the Messiah had come and where they could find him. Then the angel choir broke forth in that grand song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
As we sing the great carols of Christmas, like “Joy to the World”, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, and others, we can feel the same glory and joy that the shepherds felt that night so long ago. Let’s worship Him with all our hearts.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you came to earth to bring us redemption. We didn’t hear the angel choir, but we have received the same message as the shepherds, and we lift our hearts in praise to you.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
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