Glory to God in the Highest
Lord, it’s Christmas Eve and we wake this morning filled with the emotion of excitement and anticipation of all that this day will bring. We cannot wait to join in with our family traditions and all that we do to celebrate your birth. As we read these verses and are reminded again of all that took place surrounding your arrival, we are filled with gratitude beyond measure. You Jesus— the Word—became flesh and lived among us. (John 1:14) All history had been counting down the days until, in the fullness of time, you came. (Galatians 4:4) Your birth was the hinge pin of history, the moment all prophecy about your birth was fulfilled. You dropped into a physical body and your heart began to beat like ours. You were not only created in the image of your Father God, you were God in flesh, God in a newborn baby.
Born in Bethlehem, just like Micah the prophet had foretold (Micah 5:2), with no guest room in a home there. There was no soft blue blanket in a cradle to lay your head, but in a feeding trough—a manger. No grandparents or friends were there to shower you with love, just your earthly mom and dad. And then, not too far away, the night lit up and your angel woke up a few shepherds out in the fields caring for their sheep. They were terrified. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I have great news for you.” The greatest, most creative birth announcement ever! “It’s a boy!” The long-anticipated Messiah, Christ the Lord, had been born.
And then, the sky filled with angels, praising you and declaring, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men on whom His favor rests.” And just as suddenly as the angels had appeared, they were gone. The shepherds who were frightened and scared now turned their excitement into speed as they hurried to see you. Apparently, the clues about swaddling clothes and a manger were enough for them to know exactly where you were, most likely in a cave on the side of the Bethlehem hills where lambs, who were destined for temple sacrifice, were born. And there they found you, God incarnate, flesh and blood, just like us.
Mary and Joseph were there, radiant with joy and wonder. We don’t know how long the shepherds gazed at you or even what their conversation was, but before long they took off to tell everyone they could about what had happened. But most importantly, they told everyone that you, the Messiah had been born. They spread the word. No doubt, these shepherds and others from the city came to see you for as long as you were there. The shepherds returned to care for their sheep, but they were never the same.
Jesus, no one who sees you in your glory is ever the same. From that simple beginning, the word has spread all over the world. We have read about your beginning, and we know the rest of your life story. You came to rescue us from darkness. You came to seek and to save the lost. You came to sacrifice your life for the sins of the world, for my sins. You did that so that we can join in with the heavenly host declaring, “Glory in the highest and on earth, peace to men on whom your favor rest.” So, Jesus, as I walk through this day, I will remember with a heart filled with gratitude, and be in awe of you.
Jerome Smith, Tallowood Minister to Families
