Advent on the Blog: The Gift of Joy
The night air carried winter’s chill. Trying to ward off its effects, Benjamin drew his shepherd’s cloak around him more tightly. He sighed deeply, and he could see his breath. Across the valley, up on a ridge a half mile away, he could see a few lights from the village of Bethlehem. There most of the people were warm and asleep in their homes, while he was cold and awake out here in the fields. Only the stars, the sheep and his fellow shepherds kept him company. The sheep were bedded down for the night, and soft snores were evidence some of his fellow shepherds had done so, too.
He sighed again. He didn’t like it when he was here at night by himself. Nighttime wasn’t easy. During the day he could laugh and joke and act as if all was well around others, but the solitude and darkness of the night seemed to intensify the restlessness in his heart. Something was missing...something that he had been secretly looking for a long time. What was it? Happiness? No, that wasn’t quite the right word. He was happy or sad depending on the circumstances around him, but he was hungry for something deeper, more powerful than just the temporary highs of good feelings. He wanted something not dependent on what was going on around him. He needed something more than a feeling. So...what was it, then? He just couldn’t seem to put his finger on it, but when he found it, he knew he’d recognize it.
He heard approaching footsteps, and he turned to see his brother Joshua walking toward him in the moonlight. Joshua, older than him by a few years, seemed to know when Benjamin needed to talk. Though they did not express it often, there was a deep bond between them.
“Thinking, my brother?”, Joshua asked. “You’ve got that look on your face again. What’s on your mind? Its either that girl in Bethlehem or you’re trying to figured out what to do with your share of the money when we sell the sheep. Am I right?”
Benjamin looked at his brother and smiled. “You are usually right, brother,” he said, “but not this time. No...I was thinking of other things. Sometimes I guess I think too much.”
“So....what were you thinking of, then?” Joshua’s voice was playful and yet inquisitive. “Looking to the stars to find the answers to life?”
“No, I’ve looked at those stars for too long to think there’s any help from them. I don’t know if there’s any help at all from above.”
“Now that’s a surprising thing to say, Benjamin. Here we are, shepherds who have the privilege of guarding sheep that will go to the temple to be the sacrifices for the forgiveness of our sins. Don’t you don’t think God in Heaven cares about you?”
Benjamin’s voice had an edge of bitterness as he spoke. “Come on, Joshua. You know as well as I do that those religious leaders in the temple think we’re good enough to watch over these sheep, but not good enough to come in the temple and take part in their worship. They say we are unclean because we smell of sheep, because our hands are rough, because there’s dirt under our fingernails. Just because we can’t keep all their rules doesn’t mean they should shut us out from God!” He paused, breathing heavily, caught up in the emotion of his words.
“Besides, I’m not sure God even knows we’re here... and if He does, I’m not sure He even cares about us. He’ll probably strike me down for saying such things, but its hard to feel that Someone you can’t even see could care about you.”
Joshua was silent for a moment, not sure just how to respond to his brother’s outburst. It was true that as shepherds they were looked down upon by some of the so-called “good” people. It was also true that the sheep they took care of were allowed to go farther into the temple than they were. But Benjamin was missing something...he was looking at it from he wrong angle. When he spoke, his voice was gentle but carried the feeling of his conviction. “Some of what you say is true, Ben, but not all of it. God does care about us, poor shepherds though we be. Don’t forget His promises. They bring hope and comfort to my heart. Remember His greatest promise...someday He will send us the Messiah. Just because you can’t see Him doesn’t mean He doesn’t know you or love you. He lets us know that in so many ways...”
“Well, I’d sure like to have Him show me in a little more obvious way...its been 400 years since we’ve heard the voice of God through angel or prophet in our land. There’s been no miracle or any other kind of sign. I’m afraid He’s forgotten about us...”
Suddenly the night sky lit up, more brilliant than a midday sun shining on fresh snow. The light was dazzling, powerful, intense...and yet had warmth in it. Caught by the unexpected burst of radiance, Benjamin and Joshua fell to the ground, overwhelmed. Cries of surprise and confusion reached their ears as the other shepherds woke up, and they were all momentarily blinded by the light. Surprisingly, the sheep did not stir or become restless. They seemed to have an unearthly peace in the midst of the supernatural brilliance.
The shepherds lay stunned for several heartbeats, then they sensed a presence in front of them. The air seemed to throb with supernatural power. They raised their faces, shielding their eyes, and there before them was the incredible figure of an angel! They
had never seen an angel before, but somehow their minds and hearts knew that they were in the presence of a messenger from Almighty God.
Their eyes grew wide with naked fear. Terror made them hide their faces, hoping the sight would go away, but when they looked again, the angel was still hovering in the air in front of them. The shepherds gathered into a tight huddle, holding on to each other, scared nearly senseless.
“He heard me, Joshua! He heard me! God heard me say those things and He’s sent an angel to kill me.” Benjamin’s voice shook. “I told you He’d strike me dead...”
The angel raised his hand, but a smile spread across his face as he spoke in a deep, resonant voice. “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news...news that will bring you and all the people of the world great joy!”
“Don’t be afraid? News of joy?” The shepherds were stunned and bewildered. The words were not what they had expected at all. The terror began to fade, and a curious wonder took its place.
The angel continued. “Today, this very night in the town of David..., “ he said, pointing to Bethlehem, “...a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ, the Lord. This will be the sign for you to look for...you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger.”
As the angel spoke his wonder-filled message, his glow intensified. Suddenly, as if a curtain had been drawn back, the shepherds saw the whole sky behind him filled with a vast choir of angels. There were thousands upon thousands, all glowing with heavenly radiance...and then they began to sing! The music was beautiful beyond description, the harmony bathing their souls with its majestic melody, as the angels sang “Glory to God
in the highest...on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests...glory, glory to God!” This was the music of the choir who sang around the Throne of God, the music of the throne room of Heaven, sung to a small group of simple shepherds! The music vibrated with an exhilarating, unmistakable current of joy. All they could do was watch in awe, caught up in the power and glory of what was happening in front of them.
At last the music of the angelic choir ended, its echo reverberating in their hearts. The angel who had spoken to them raised his hand in a farewell gesture....and then they were gone. The curtain seemed now to be closed. They were alone in the night air again. The light of the stars, now visible again, was pale in comparison to the holy splendor they had just experienced.
For a moment they could not speak. All they could do was look at each other in amazement, silently asking each other if they had really, truly witnessed a divine spectacle. Then they all began to talk at once, words piling on top of each other as they tried to describe the indescribable.
How can you describe God breaking into your life and turning it completely around?
Finally Joshua raised his hands in a pleading gesture for quiet. “Its obvious what we must do...let’s go now, right now, straight to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened, that the Lord has told us about. We must find this child! We must see with our own eyes God’s Promised One!
Sensing that somehow God had left an angel or two to watch over the sheep, they literally ran up the hills the distance into Bethlehem, fueled by their anticipation. When they got into the town, they began asking everyone still up if they too had seen the angels
or heard the music. People looked at them as if they were crazy, but they continued to ask until they found that a man and his very expectant wife had taken up lodging in the stable down the hill from the inn. There had been no room for them at the inn. It surprised them that no room could be found for a woman about to give birth, but they hurried off without further questions, leaving the innkeeper sleepily shaking his head as he headed back to bed.
Just down the hill, carved out of the soft rock so common to the hills of Palestine, was a cave hollowed out to form a stable. The soft glow of a lamp lighted the entrance, and they found it easily. They hesitated at the door, out of breath and not sure what to do next.
Joshua stepped forward slowly, his voice low. “Hello? Is there anyone in here?”
From the back of the stable a man came, his face glowing with the unmistakable wonder of a new father, his eyes glistening with joy. He looked at the group of men gathered there at the stable entrance, inquisitive but not afraid. “Yes,” he said. “I am Joseph, and my wife Mary and newborn Son are here, too. What is it you wish?”
The shepherds, looked at each other, grabbing each other’s arms in their excitement. This was the place! Quickly Joshua told Joseph the story of their heavenly visitors, and Joseph’s eyes grew with wonder. “Come,” he said. “The Child you are looking for is here, lying in the manger, just as you have been told.”
They came forward slowly, feeling the warmth of the stable, smelling the mingled scents of animals and hay, and saw the young mother as she drew the swaddling cloths around a tiny bundle lying in the hay of the manger. She smiled up at them and motioned for them to come closer to see.
There, cooing softly with only His tiny face and dark hair visible, was the Son of God. The Maker of the Universe had put on a diminutive robe of human flesh, and they were among the first allowed to see Him face to face. The group looked down at Him, peering over each other’s shoulders, their mouths open in awe. Then, as if the thought came to them all at once, they knelt...and worshipped their Savior and Lord. It was the only appropriate thing to do. Tears ran unashamedly down the cheeks of the rugged shepherds, dripping off their beards, making smudges in the dusty stable floor. There were no words that could express what they were experiencing, but their eyes mirrored their awe.
It hit Benjamin then. He had thought God was far away. Now he was seeing Him face to face. He had thought God didn’t care for him. Now God had singled him out with the other shepherds to be the first to look upon the newborn King. Not the earthly rulers, not the religious leaders, but he, Benjamin was among the first to see the Christ. God did know Him! God did care for Him! God did not need to be feared...this Child showed him how much God loved him!
Then Benjamin noticed something he had never known before. Deep within him, as if given by his newfound Savior, he knew he had found what his heart had wanted so long. It was just what the angel had said it would be...joy. That was it! Deeper than a feeling, more exciting than any happiness he had felt, Benjamin tasted real joy for the first time in his life. He knew he’d never settle for anything else again.
Finally, reluctantly, they left, but there was a spring in their steps and a sparkle in their eyes not there before. In the days and months and years ahead, they would tell and retell their incredible story to all who would listen. Benjamin was among those who
shared most the Good News about Jesus. It wasn’t hard, because he always told the Story from an overflowing heart. He’d found the life-long desire of his heart.
In Jesus, Benjamin had discovered the gift of joy.
Excerpt from the book Christmas Hearts written by Fit & Flourish president and co-founder, Dr. Tim Roehl