23 December 2020

Plans are in place. The key roles of the nativity scene have been chosen but who is going to be the shepherds? The wise kings? The visitors of the babe born?

I overheard a parent trying to entice a little one to dress up as one of the shepherds. I had to chuckle for all they wanted to know was who else was going to be with them. And were there Live sheep? Even at a young age we want to feel included and not miss out.

Over 2000 years ago, some shepherds just looking after their sheep were invited to play a role that forever in time would make them famous. No names were written down but everyone knows of THE SHEPHERDS of Bethlehem.

⁸ And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened.

Lukr 2:8 AMPC

Nothing like this had ever happened before and nothing like this would ever again.

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. ¹¹ For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord! ¹² And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find [after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. ¹³ Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying, ¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor]. ¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing (saying) that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.

Luke 2:10-15 AMPC

Their interest was piqued. They went to investigate.

God had a special invitation for those Shepherds. To go over to Bethlehem and see and look for this Saviour, this Messiah.

Do you know God invites us with the same invitation, just centuries on?

As Pope Benedict wrote so beautifully, he calls each one of us so that we too can say, “Come on, let us go over to Bethlehem, to the God who has come to meet us.”

Yes indeed, God has set out towards us. Left to ourselves we could not reach Him. The path is too much for our strength. But God has come down. He comes towards us. He has travelled the longer part of the journey. NOW He invites us. “Come and see how much I love you. Come and see that I am here.”

So will you Come and seek out this Baby, this Prince of Peace, this ONE who has come to restore all things, fix all things for eternity?

The invitation is for all. The promise of Peace is for all who are of goodwill. YOU are invited to participate. Will you come?

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This Christmas will you come and seek Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the ONE who has come to restore all things, fix all things for eternity? Reflect on this during the week.