Ready or not, Christmas is coming with extra commitments to squeeze into overloaded schedules, budget-busting shopping trips, and mandatory family obligations. As one youngster watched his parents navigate the tempestuous season, he offered this insightful bedtime prayer, “Forgive us our Christmases as we forgive those who Christmas against us.” The interruption of Christmas is a fact.
Was Christmas designed to be stressful? To answer that question we can travel back to the first instance of the holiday recorded in Luke 2:8-20. Luke described shepherds enjoying a peaceful night in the fields.
Shepherding
Shepherding was a 24×7 job with no sick days or vacations. Personal hygiene was of little importance in the outdoors. Shepherds wafted bouquet of barnyard. They were social outcasts, ignored and avoided. Shepherds were considered unclean. They were banned from temple worship though their services was vital to Jewish religious ceremonies.
Shepherding was a noble profession. As noted throughout Scripture. Abel, Jacob, Moses, and David all held this job. Shepherds were faithful men, not easily fooled. They possessed a courage that drove them to defend their flocks against wild animals or rustlers. Noises in the night brought them to full alert as they stood between their sheep and danger, ready to sacrifice their lives for the flock.
God interrupted the nightly routine of those shepherds outside Bethlehem. An announcement was delivered by a heavenly messenger whose appearance struck fear into their hearts. Thieves or wolves they could handle, but an angel? The message was astounding. The angel pronounced good news for all the people, “Christ the Savior is born!” A multitude of angels joined in praise and worship as the simple shepherds listened in awe.
How did the shepherds respond?
How did the shepherds respond to this revelation? They urged one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem.” The determined men had to see the Savior that very night.
What a ruckus as the shepherds searched Bethlehem for the correct manger. Bleating sheep mixed with shouts of alarm awakened residents. Raised voices disturbed the peace asking, “Where is He? Where is the Savior?” The crowd grew as the shepherds shared their message, and others joined the search. Their joyful shouting interrupted Bethlehem’s slumber.
Christmas is an interruption to the routine.
Christmas is certainly an interruption to the routine. The season brings a pause when we can remember the Savior who came to change us forever. Luke’s account begins with angels glorifying and praising God. The birth of the Savior was big news in heaven. The passage ends with the shepherds offering their own praise for what they heard and saw that night. The birth of the Savior was big news on earth. What about you and me? Are we praising God for the birth of His Son? Is that message big news in our hearts?
Too busy for the interruption of Christmas? We will miss words of hope and great joy.
Questions.
- Are there people serving in occupations we tend to overlook in the Christmas rush?
- How is the angel’s message of good news significant to you?
- How did the shepherds display singleness of mind on that first Christmas night?