Angels

Today our one word is angels. When they show up, they always signify something crazy is about to go down. They interrupt the everyday ordinary lives of human beings, breaking in for some major heavenly news. And the birth of the Savior is no different. One angel opens up the sky to let the sleepy shepherds know that something is coming…and then a whole host of them show up! Can you imagine? It’s quiet, dark, peaceful. The sheep are asleep and you are drifting and WHAM! Light and singing and excitement - like fireworks - but WAY better. And also terrifying, as noted below:

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

I love thinking about the pomp and glory of angels singing out about peace on earth and the firework voices scaring the daylights out of the shepherds! God started with a show stopper, and He used angels to do it.

So today, think about the angels. They were just the start of heaven breaking through.