The shepherds outside of Bethlehem that first Christmas night didn't have an easy life. They spent long hours tending their sheep. They remained on constant alert, working in shifts, watching for predators and bandits. On that night that
was different from all other nights, they were diligent and weary.
A light in the dark suddenly caught their attention. An angel appeared, surrounded by light. The heavenly messenger said, “There is born to you this day a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord” (Luke 2:11). If that wasn't enough, a
multitude of angels appeared, praising God.
As commanded by the angel, the weary shepherds headed toward Bethlehem. They found baby Jesus lying in a feeding trough, surrounded by animals. They worshiped Him. However tired they were earlier, they didn't drag back to the fields. A fresh joy in their hearts put new life in their steps. “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (LUKE 2:20).
What happened to the Bethlehem shepherds can happen to us. The lives we live twenty centuries later have plenty of disappointments, setbacks, and situations that drain us. But celebrating Christmas renews us. Let it refocus your tired mind. Let it bring new energy to your weary body. Let it refresh your spirit.
Celebrate Jesus by singing about Him, reading the Christmas story in Matthew two and Luke two, and by meditating on Emmanuel (God with us). Pause. Ponder. Worship the Savior and renew your hope.
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