“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17).
When I was a kid, we would do the Christmas Pageants in church every year, I would never get to be one of the three kings. I was always a shepherd. My older brother, Bill was always picked to be one of the three kings. He always got to wear the crown and flashy clothes. I always got stuck wearing my bathrobe with a towel wrapped around my head with a piece of rope tied like a headband. I always felt like I wasn’t good enough to be the king and in spite of constantly trying out for the role of king it didn’t happen.
When we lived in Bridgeport WV, the little Methodist church we attended had a live nativity each year. They would set up scenes in the parking lot and cars would drive through it seeing each scene. Sarah (my oldest) and I decided to participate one year and so we went to the meetings. They came in with all the costumes and had an orientation meeting and I thought this is my chance. I will be a king. The king costumes with shiny satin were laying on a table when we got there and with each costume was shiny gold crown. I was ready to pounce on that role, but once again, since it was our first year doing the nativity, the roles were set ahead of time. The kings were chosen from the ones who did it the year before. My daughter Sarah being a teenager got the role of Mary and yes, I was chosen once again to be a shepherd. This time, I had to keep a fire going, stand with live sheep, get smoke in my eyes all night (and by the way it was very cold and windy with a front moving in that weekend) and in the end i had to tend live sheep that didn’t know anything about standing in one place or know they shouldn’t poop next to the fire. Those cold nights, with smoke in my eyes, holding a staff to contain the sheep and a shovel to scoop poop was once again my pageant experience. I did not do it the next year.
Do you feel a little weary as you enter into this Christmas season? Are you burdened by your thoughts and emotions stemming from a tough year? Is this Christmas something that you view as something to “make it through” instead of something to rejoice in? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you are not alone.
Regardless of …
…the circumstances this year has thrown at you.
…the mistakes you have made.
…what people have said about you.
…the worries you faced.
...of any illnesses
This Christmas you can take full confidence in the fact that you have a Savior who loves you and is pulling for you. So, this Christmas, as the song says, “fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices,” because they are singing a song of hope over you and God has a purpose that only He sees in your future.
I have come to appreciate the role of shepherd. After all the shepherds heard the news first and well ahead of the three kings. The kings got there for the party late (camels don't walk fast i guess). Luke uses the greek word ποιμήν (poimēn) in his account in chapter 2. Translated that means "pastor." I guess God knew what role He wanted me to play in life 60 years ago. Took me a while to figure it out that I was called to be a Shepherd.
Much love and Merry Christmas
Preach
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