And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
–LUKE 2:8-9
The shepherds were out in the fields tending to their flocks. These humble, lowly men had jobs that kept them away from their families—nomads who followed their flocks day and night. It was a poor, lonely life—a humble audience for the very first Christmas carol ever sung.
But when Jesus was born, the heavens opened wide and the sky was filled with angels singing with voices beyond imagination. These lonely men were the audience for this most beautiful of songs, accompanied by the sight of angels filling the sky.
As we look in the Bible at places where God touches Earth—where heavenly beings come into contact with people—we find that it very often happens in extremely humble circumstances. This becomes even clearer as we look at the story of Christmas.
This announcement wasn’t made at Caesar’s palace in Rome. It wasn’t at the high, holy Temple in Jerusalem. The first announcement was the small cry of the child in a stable, and the second announcement was by angels above a humble pasture with an audience of lowly shepherds.
No matter where you are in life, how you live, or what you have, God can meet you right there. Don’t think you have to clean yourself up first to connect with God. He’s available to you right now. Don’t wait to meet Him!
(To obtain a free copy of “The Cost of Christmas,” a 25-day advent devotional go to jackgraham.org, call 800-414-7693, or request it online at email@powerpoint.org.)
