December 24, 2020
Luke 2:13-14—Shepherds and Angels
“Suddenly there was with the angel a company of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men.’” Luke 2 13-14
How do we receive news in 2020? Technology provides us with a never-ending stream of good and bad news. Emails on laptops and tablets, texts on phones that are never far from our hands, and tweets all provide us with news in small bits punctuated with emojis. If we are lucky, we will receive an actual phone call with a live person on the other end. Have you ever waited nine months to receive a phone call telling you that a long-awaited baby was on the way? Nine long months.
Our unlikely band of shepherds had been waiting for generations for the news they received that night. Their Messiah was finally here. God’s angel appeared to them in a blaze of light announcing that a baby had been born, and if that was not amazing enough, a heavenly host joined the angel to praise God.
That was the first Christmas Eve. It was filled with light and sounds of praise. On this Christmas Eve 2020, as we light the Christ candle on our Advent wreath, let us praise and thank God for the gift of his precious Son. This is the Good News of 2020. Let us be the light of Christ in this troubled world–loving God and our neighbor.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the gift of your Son. We praise you along with the heavenly host saying, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to all people.” Amen.
Miranda Hopkins