CHRISTMAS DAY!
STARTLING
TEXT: And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. (Luke 2:8-9)
It was probably a quiet night. Not much excitement unless something startled the sheep. The biggest problem was likely to be staying awake.
And then the glorious wake-up call, with an angel surrounded by the glory of God, and the shepherds are on their feet, blinking, shaking.
Something to startle the sheep? Oh, yes indeed. Something to startle God’s sheep, to wake them up and bring them to their feet, rubbing their eyes. A newborn baby, lying in a manger. A Savior. God Himself, come down to earth, come to save us.
Because it is startling, isn’t it? People going about their everyday lives, working or sleeping, sitting, walking, eating—and then God. God in the middle of us all, sleeping and crying and nursing. God in a manger, the center of a humble family in a little village in a conquered country. God-with-us, Immanuel.
But sheep don’t stay startled. Soon enough they calm down and go back to their grazing. And we, God’s sheep, also calm down and go back to our everyday lives. But not alone, this time. Now we have Jesus. The God who was born for us, who lived and served and suffered and died for us, the Lord who rose from the dead for us—He has become our Shepherd. He keeps us in His care forever.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to live and to die and to rise again as our Good Shepherd who loves us. Amen.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
What do you know about sheep, and how do you know it?
How do you most resemble a sheep?
What does Jesus do for you as your Shepherd?
Copyright is owned by the International Lutheran Laymen’s League, and used with permission of the Lutheran Hour Ministries, all rights reserved. Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/
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