December 24, 2022 – Christmas Eve

Listen to what happened to me tonight… you’re never going to believe it, but I swear I’m not making it up. We were out in the fields outside of Bethlehem, just watching the flocks like always. We had to stay awake, or at least take turns staying awake, to make sure that the sheep stayed calm and to protect them from all the wild animals.

I had settled in by the fire to wait out the long, dark hours of the night once the sheep got comfortable and secure enough to quiet down. I hadn’t heard from any of the other shepherds about any wild animals spotted in the area recently, so I figured it would be a nice quiet night. I wrapped my cloak a little more tightly around myself and slid a bit closer to the fire.

Suddenly, the night sky lit up. Something – or someone – started talking to us. It was like a dream… I rubbed my eyes, but I was already awake; this was no dream! It was like God almighty had filled the fields and the night sky and a bright light shone down upon us. I was terrified. I hid my face, and I began to tremble with fear. What was happening?

Then the voice spoke and told us not to be afraid. Just like my mom and dad used to do when I was younger. It was like they were there with me, calming me. I lifted my head a bit to take a quick peek. As this voice – an angel I think? – kept talking, my fear left me, and I started to get excited about the message. The angel said that there was good news for everyone tonight. The Savior we had been waiting for was here – in Bethlehem.

It was strange. The angel told us we would know it was him because he would be a baby, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Before I had time to realize just how crazy God coming to earth as a baby was, a whole bunch of other angels – more than I could count – joined the first angel. The whole sky filled with light and with angels singing their tune. They sang “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will to all.”

Peace would be nice. The Romans ruled with a heavy hand. People didn’t trust us shepherds. Our life was hard, but so was everyone’s. This beautiful sight and the amazing song filled me with wonder and hope… and then they were all gone. The stars twinkled overhead, and nothing was out of the ordinary. The night actually seemed darker and more silent after the angels left. And yet in all this, our sheep felt no fear – they just kept resting.

“Come on, let’s go!” I shouted to my fellow shepherds. “What are we waiting for? Let’s see for ourselves if this is really true!”

I jumped up and started running into Bethlehem to the place the angels told us about. The others could follow me if they wanted, but I knew I had to go and find the Savior. I found the place and there he was, just like the angel had said. A baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. I knew this was the one the angel had told us about.

I could hardly get the words out quick enough to tell Mary and Joseph everything that I had seen and heard that night. I told them everything… about the angel and what was said, the choir of angels singing, the sheep being unafraid.

I can’t believe that God told us first – lowly shepherds that most people don’t want anything to do with. I mean, let’s be honest – we aren’t the cleanest people in the world, being out in the hot sun all day with no opportunity to bathe. But God sent us – the lowly shepherds – to see Emmanuel – God With Us, to be the first visitors to worship Jesus. I have to go tell more people. I want to tell everyone this wonderful news.

Our Savior is here. He was born tonight. He’s there – lying in that stable, lying in the manger. Praise God for the arrival of God With Us. 

God, thank you for giving us the message of hope. Thank you, Lord Almighty, for letting me be one of the first to come and worship your son here on earth.

Glory to God in the highest. God’s peace has come to the earth!