Are We There yet?
Jacob felt really ‘grown up.’ This was the first time that he’d been allowed to go with his father and the other shepherds from their village to watch the sheep,all night in the fields. It was exciting especially as his dad had put him in charge of some of the older ewes.
His mum had made sure he had warm things as it could get cold up in the hills.
It had taken what seemed ages to get there. More than once he asked his dad ‘Are we there yet?' By the time they stopped it seemed as if he had walked all day but the meadow was ideal for the nights camp. The flocks were grazing contentedly now and one of the men was getting a fire going while the others went about setting up the camp. Jacob watched his few sheep and felt really grown up, even if there was no real danger in the cool evening air.
Later, after the sun had gone down they sat around the fire sharing the meal together and talking and swapping stories about the animals they had fought and killed, some even showed him the scars!
As the blanket of night descended upon them the stars seemed to grow brighter, carpeting the sky with uncountable points of light that appeared to flicker and dance like the flames of the fire.
One of the men got up to put another log on the fire. It sent a cloud of brilliant sparks spiralling into the sky. He gazed up at them, his eyes following them as they flew upward, curiously they seemed to multiply and change shape, growing brighter until the field was flooded with the light, it was so bright it was almost like daylight. He was afraid now and ran to his dad and hid in the folds of his cloak, he had forgotten he needed to be ‘grown-up’ what was happening?
He realised it sounded like singing, it was beautiful, much nicer that the singing in the village weddings, somehow it calmed him. Then he heard the voice. It must be an angel he thought:
The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Saviour was born. Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12; GNB)
He peeked out and was amazed by what he saw. Not just one angel but hundreds, maybe thousands of angels all joining in the song that seemed to fill the air:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:14; MKJV)
The heavenly choir began to fly away and the light faded into silent darkness again. Nobody organised it, later they couldn’t even remember who said ‘Let’s go and find this baby then.’ They just went. The sheep were safe enough in that meadow, if the truth were known the others were more concerned for Jacob’s safety than the sheep
It didn’t seem far, though it was at least as far down to Bethlehem as it had been up from his own village, but he never once asked ‘are we there yet?’
That was a few years ago now. However, he had never forgotten that night when they found the mother and the baby in that stable. It was Just as the angel had said it would be.
He looked up, listening carefully, it was as if he spoke directly to him to Jacob.
"I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me." (John 10:14; CEV)
Wasn’t this was the same meadow he’d been in that night when the angels had come and told them about the baby? Then he knew. This man speaking was the baby he’d seen in the stable. This Jesus was the promised Messiah. He knew he belonged. He wondered sheepishly if anybody else could hear that choir.
Copyright Bob Mullins; 23 December 2007. All rights reserved.
