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Listen while you read: "Angels We Have Heard On High"1 (Lyrics) |
Isaiah 9:6a – For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. (NKJV)
Some years ago, we were on a tour to Israel with a group of fellow believers and a pastor as the leader. Among many places that we visited, we did some extensive sightseeing in Bethlehem by bus as well as on foot. We visited the Church of the Nativity, the Grotto of the Nativity, St. Catherine's Church, and Manger Square, and we walked through the Old City. To be honest, I found it all very overwhelming. I felt that the importance of the place was overshadowed by the man-made places of worship, and some of the tourist attractions seemed to me to be of questionable origin or importance.
One day, we were having lunch just inside the city, and as there was some free time before we were to go to the next place of interest, my wife and I went for a walk down the street. Almost immediately, we were out of the town, and there was a sign that said, "Shepherds' Fields". There were some benches there, and we sat down to gaze at the rolling hills in front of us. My mind wandered back 2000 years to the time when Christ was born in that place.
I imagined the shepherds and their sheep in those very same hills, and the Scripture came to mind:
Luke 2:8 – Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. (NKJV)
After some quiet contemplation, we were called back to the bus to continue our sightseeing tour, but that sight of the shepherds' fields was on my mind all day. In the evening, I looked up the passage which describes it so well.
Luke 2:9-14 – And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (NKJV)
Immediately the shepherds left their flocks and found and worshipped the Christ Child.
Luke 2:17 – Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. (NKJV)
Likewise, may we leave behind the glitter and commercialism of Christmas, and in our minds and hearts, visit the Christ Child as well, and then tell others about Him, each one of us in our own way.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we thank You for Your Son Jesus, Whose birth we celebrate each year. We thank You for the shepherds and for all others who have brought and continue to bring the good news about Jesus. In His name, we pray. Amen.
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An awe inspiring scene Joel. Have a Merry Christmas.
A precious devotional, Joel.
Thank you.
Keep writing.
Joel, I especially liked your devotional today. I can imagine sitting in the shepherd’s fields and envisioning that holy night so many years ago when Jesus Christ was born. Thank you for writing it and God bless.
Thank you Joel for this message. I am sure it is inspiring to visit those wonderful places in the holy land. Thanks for reminding us to put aside all the hustle and bustle of commercialism and contemplate the real meaning of Christmas. Blessings
Joel, Thank you for sharing your experience in Bethlehem. As I read, vivid images from my own visit sprang to mind. It was almost like I was revisiting the places where our Lord Jesus was born. Yes, the commercialism disappoints, nevertheless when we look beyond it to the wonder on the believers faces, we can feel the touch of God. Blessings.
Thank you for this devotional and all the ones you give us. Both my husband and I benefit a great deal from your insights. You have a special gift for communicating God’s Word. We can usually tell long before we get to the end of the page that you are the author. Thanks so much for your efforts in bringing these to us. Merry Christmas to you and yours. May God bless you in the coming year.
Good morning Joel:
I doubt that your visit to Israel was in late December, or your party would have got drenched by the icy-cold rain of the season. Please be honest with your readers, and your congregation, about when you made your trip, and about why the shepherds would not have been watching their flocks in December. So tell your friends the truth about the time of Jesus’ birth.
Nice. My “aha” moment was on the boat crossing Sea of Galilee. Being on the water and the quietness of it. I “heard” the Lord say: yes, that was one of my favourite things too.
Hi Joel:
Thank you for your devotional “Glory to God in the Highest”. I really could relate to this one, having been in Bethlehem. Of all the sites there, “The Shepherds’ Fields” was the most authentic for me. Our group sat in that same spot overlooking the “fields”, read Scripture and sang some carols, and I found it really spoke to my heart and brought home to me the glory, and yet humility, of the Saviour’s birth. I also had a similar experience in the reconstructed 1st century village in Nazareth, in the synagogue. We were listening to our teacher who said this village is where it all began with the angel’s annunciation to Mary, and I thought, “Wow, how true!” It all happened in a simple village to a lowly maiden. It was another “presence of God” moment for me. Truly unforgettable and such cause for thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.
Thanks again.
Blessings.
Hi Joel,
Thank you for taking us along on your walk to the Shepherd’s Field and for having us listen to the Angels’ song. It was beautiful.
After reading over your Devotional, I see that it was Israel! That’s where my doctor was…including Bethlehem!! He told me so much about all the things… about how far it was from such a place to such a place!!