She was just like us
As she walked along that day
Just like us when she heard the angel say
Out of all the world
The Lord has favored you
With a Son to bear away our sins
When His time on earth is through
And just like us
She asked about His plan
How can this be
Since I don’t know a man?
But I believe
And wait in quiet faith
To see all that our God will do
If I say yes today!
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.Luke 1:29-31 ESVJust Like Us by Peter Caligiuri copyright 2021 all rights reserved
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8 KJV
When I briefly worked from 11pm till 6 am, I found myself suddenly a part of an exclusive group of people who only see the world from mid-night till dawn. On the night that Jesus was born, just above Bethlehem were shepherds who were the third shift workers of their day. The more important shepherds got the first shift jobs. But in the darkness of that night, those unnamed and seemingly unimportant third shift shepherds were about to become the first people on earth to hear the good news of Jesus Christ! That message was that God had remembered His people, He remembered Bethlehem and He even remembered shepherds whom everyone else had forgotten.
Did you ever stop to think that God also remembers you? He is not satisfied to visit only the better homes in the better neighborhoods with the biggest churches with their beautiful appearances. Just as the shepherds were watching their flocks at night so God watches over us when we are going through the darkest moments of our lives. He knows right where we are. He hears us and He still sends angels with His message of good news. There is no better place than right where you are to hear the news; that Jesus Christ came to bring hope and salvation to us all: even to third shift shepherds out in their fields at night!
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy Matthew 2:10
Recently the news has been filled with stories of the 2020 “Christmas Star”; which is the almost perfect conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn happening for the first time in 400 years. We have no idea if this was what God used to guide the wise men but we do know that the star they saw led them to Bethlehem. Their journey was long; in danger of thieves attacking their small camel train and complicated by uncertainty after they stopped in for visit with King Herod. Big city lights can obscure our view of the stars and maybe that is what happened while they were in Jerusalem. It seems they lost sight of it there for a while, but the good news is that after they left the king, the Bible tells us that:
They went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Matthew 2:9
Maybe they paused just over the horizon from Bethlehem, and gave thanks for God’s guidance all through their long journey. As our own journey to Christmas draws near its end we also need to take time to remember how on our darkest nights God sent His star for us as well. He sent His star to help us know the Savior was born. He sent His star to guide our path to Him. He sent His star to light our way. He sent His star to come and stand over the place where Jesus is so we can present our gifts to Him and worship. Thank God for this amazing gift that leads us to Jesus Christ. Thank God for His bright and morning star!
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