Tuesday 17 December, 2013

[ursen]

Luke 2:8-19
New King James Version (NKJV)
Glory in the Highest

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[a] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 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. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely[c] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

As we continue in Advent I would like to share another part of the Christmas story, a very important part. The announcement to the lowest strata of commoners. I would like to zero in one one very important verse here. We know that the shepherds were quaking in their sandals according to verse 9, but not only to they get reassured in verse 9, but 14 really stands out. God wants peace with man. He is not some bearded old guy in Heaven waiting to pounce on you for anything and everything, but a loving God who went all out to reconcile with man, and be at peace with us. In this short passage that one verse stands out like a neon sign telling us why the Messiah was sent to us by God the Father. 14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

 

[Abba San]

I always like the "pondered them in her heart" part. Thanks, Ursen.