It had been a rough week. I had been so busy with my job, working all night. The folks I work with were feeling the same… tired and exhausted, each of us working in close proximity to the other.
The night sky lately had been just awesome. It was extremely clear and and every now and then I could see a falling star. Off in the distance I could hear the cry of a lone wolf. There was a gentle breeze in the air and I could smell the distant sea. An odor of freshness and purity.
There were flowers blooming everywhere and their fragrance was almost overwhelming at times. Off in the distance I could see flashes of lightning from distant storms and I could see the clouds’ silvery tops illuminated against the night sky.
There was no moon but rather a brilliant star which had appeared in recent days and was so bright it was almost blinding to look at. The heavens had turned into quite a spectacle. First this bright star and then such clarity in the night sky. I suppose all these things caused me to look more closely and see all of the wonders of gazing at the heavens.
There were sheep all around me and they seemed to be rather uneasy as if they new something was about to happen. I just dismissed it as them being nervous from the distant lightning. The sound of the thunder would come rolling across the hills and answer back with an echo and this made my flock uneasy as well.
It was such a beautiful night. I had just seen a brilliant falling star light up the sky and change from bright white to blue green. Suddenly there was a sound. We had all been sitting on the hillside. We stood up and gazed in amazement, each of us from our separate places. As we did we began to hurry toward each other. We rushed to the top of a hill and looked up, scarcely able to contain ourselves.
There was something I had never seen before. Standing before me was “an angel of the Lord”. All about him was brilliant light. Not just an ordinary light but the light which was sort of like lightning but then peaceful like the light from the star above. It was overwhelming and we were terribly frightened. The angel then spoke with the most calming voice I had ever heard. He said….”do not be afraid: for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all people; When I heard this my feet became numb and it was as I was not even standing, but rather just suspended. He then continued saying, “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you shall find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manager.”
At this point my mind was reeling and I could not have imagined what I was about to see next. Out of the light surrounding the angel, as far as my eyes could see were heavenly beings. Their voices spoke and their words thundered in unison, praising God. “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
I thought, “He is pleased. Wow, the God of the universe is pleased with men.” I could scarcely move as I watched them disappear into the heavens. I was stunned at what I had just seen.
As I and my fellow shepherds raced down the mountain toward Bethlehem, my mind kept replaying over and over what I had just seen. I realized through all of this my flock of sheep had scarcely moved or made a noise.
It was overwhelming as we burst into the small lighted room. There laying before us was the One the Angel had just spoken about, wrapped in clothes in a manger. I and my fellow shepherds told the parents what we had just witnessed. As we spoke I could scarcely take it in. Laying before me was the One whom I had always heard about. Countless stories had been told of His arrival by shepherds for hundreds of years. Just to think, laying there before me, was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The Creator of the Universe.
Then I realized, the One who would change the world……………… for all time ……………..had just arrived.