And their job? In this instance, guarding their flocks from predators in the darkness of night. Suddenly, darkness itself was replaced by a glorious light as God sent angels to shepherds with a message of great news - Jesus, the long-awaited Rescuer, has been born.
The shepherds? Well, they immediately leave their sheep in search of this extraordinary news. And after finding Jesus, in the exact fashion God had said, they returned to their sheep - spreading the story along the way and praising God for everything they had seen and heard! :)
Here's what struck me for the very first time: God sent shepherds to meet their Good Shepherd!!!!
In God’s great wisdom, He chose some lowly shepherds as the very first visitors to journey to the feet of the One who came to do on a worldwide scale what they do in their fields – guard His people (as they follow Him) from the one prowling around in the darkness but, MORE THAN THAT, He came to gloriously dispel darkness itself with His great light!
Shepherds, on a not so ordinary night after all, came into the presence of the true Good Shepherd who, in reality, had really come for them.
Praying God breaks into the ordinariness of our days with this same amazing truth and that we too become a people who, everywhere we go, can’t stop praising God and sharing all the extraordinary things we’ve seen and heard! (Acts 4:20)
Merry Christmas Season! :)
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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." Luke 2:8-11