ITS A BOY!

The birth of a baby is such an exciting time!

We were privileged to be present at the birth of all our grandbabies, and what a time it was. (Well, for us anyway, maybe not so much for the mothers)

When everyone is sitting in the waiting room....well, waiting, and then, finally, someone comes out and yells "It's a girl! or It's a boy!"  There's pandamonium for a little while.

Wouldn't you just love to have that job?  Being the announcer! The one where you run out and tell the waiting family if it's a girl or a boy.  "Can I go now?  Can I tell them, now?  Is it time?"  I think that would be the neatest job!

I've been thinking alot lately about the event that took place over two thousand years ago and it's still talked about today.  We all have stories about the birth of our children, but when I talk about mine, my boys just roll their eyes and say, "Mom, we've heard this before."

However, the birth that took place in Bethlehem still causes excitement.  It causes arguments.  It changes lives.

The ride to the hospital is always a fun story, too...yelling at road workers that have stopped traffic, to get out of the way, we're coming through; having to get a police to find the husband, who is taking classes, and tell him he's about to become a father...there's always a story, and those are a couple of mine.

But Mary's story isn't filled with fun antics, or fast trips.  It's a story of a woman, who could become a mother at any minute.  It's a story of wearisome travel through mountains and rough terrain on the back of a mule.  It's a story of cold temperatures and sleeping on rough, frozen ground.  It's a heartbreaking story of a woman in labor who can't even find a bed to lay on.

But, then, there's "the announcer." Just imagine the anticipation.  "Can I go now?  Can I tell them now?  When is it time?  Is it time yet?"  "It's time?!"  And then there's lots of ruffling of angel wings, lots of clearing throats and getting ready to sing.

Now, imagine, on a hillside somewhere outside of Bethlehem, sits some young boys.  As was the custom in that time, the youngest of the sons were made to be the shepherds, while the older brothers helped with the tilling of the land, sowing and reaping, building the barns and houses.  So, the youngest held the responsibility of caring for the sheep.

It's so cold outside, they can see their breath as they talk to their sheep and to one another. The air is so crisp that it hurts their skin, so they try to snuggle down into their clothing. They build a fire and then they build a sleeping place surrounding the fire by putting large, oblong stones in a circle and then fill the inside with soft limbs from trees, covered in grasses for bedding.  As they settle down for a long night in the cold, one of them will sit watch over the sheep.  He has his staff that has nails driven in one end to use as a defender of his sheep from predators.  So, he's ready.  He's taken his position on one of the stones for a better view of the sheep and surrounding area while his friends burrough into their warm beds for some rest.

 

As he sits there with thoughts springing through his mind, maybe singing to himself and watching his breath escape into the cold, night air, he thinks he hears something...some sort of stirring...and he prepares himself for protecting his flock. He wakes his friends and tells them to get ready, but before they can even grab their staffs for battle, there's an enormous explosion of light that fills the sky and a being, far too beautiful and far too menacing, stops them in their movements.  They are so afraid, they cannot move, they cannot speak, they cannot think.

This being, this person, this angel that is so frightening, yet so calming, tells them not to fear. And they listen.  They listen as the angel tells them about a birth!  It tells them it's a Boy!  But it's not just any boy, it's their Saviour.

As they're taking all this in, something else is stirring in the sky, some sort of movement and suddenly, behind the announcer, they see a choir!  It has completely filled the sky and the song is like none they've ever heard. And as quickly as it all happened, it was over...just stillness....just stars.
What a night!  What a story!  What a Saviour!

Luke 2:8-17, 20  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.