Monday, December 19, 2011
Luke 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
ALONE
Shepherds? Nothing strange about that. Father Abraham had flocks as well as herds. And when the sons of Israel moved down to Egypt, they were shunned because they were shepherds. Of course, that did not stop God from blessing them. In fact, He used that very circumstance to bless them! Not only were they set apart as a family by themselves, but they were given the land of Goshen in the Nile Delta area for a home. Deltas can gain rich topsoil that the river erodes along it's route.
And although the Bethlehem shepherds had a lonely watch, set apart in the middle of the night while the family reunions were going on in town, that did not stop God from finding them and blessing them. It was to them that the Lord sent His angel with the good news: "to you is born this day a Savior!"
Sometimes we feel isolated from the celebrating crowds, and sometimes -- as we seek to glorify our heavenly Father -- we may be set apart, if not dishonored. But the very fact that we are weary and burdened is used by God to bless us, for the joy which God's angel proclaimed to the midnight shepherds was for all the people. And especially to us He still calls: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." We are not so far from Bethlehem that He cannot bring us to see our salvation!
To shepherds as they watched by night Appeared a host of angels bright;
"Behold the tender babe," they said, "In yonder lowly manger laid."
