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The night is almost gone, and the day is near Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. - Romans 13:12 (NASB)

It was just another night[1] like millions of nights before it. Kings were issuing decrees, busily consolidating their power. Normal people were working their jobs, completely focused on making money, feeding their families, talking to their friends and waiting for their ship to come in. So common – so normal.

It’s interesting that Luke focuses on the night before Christ’s coming. I wonder if it’s related to John’s description of Jesus being the Light of the World[2]. Luke summed up all the deeds of mankind, both great and small, grand and mundane, and placed them squarely in darkness. He makes us face the fact that we are simply blundering around in the darkness waiting for the light of morning.

Suddenly, angels appeared; and they did not appear to Caesar Augustus, but to a huddled group of shepherds in the fields surrounding a nothing town in a nothing province that was part of the back-waters of the Roman Empire. God always draws near to the humble[3]. Think of it, The Good Shepherd’s[4] arrival was announced to shepherds. And it’s those normal, dirty, uneducated men, who were not considered reliable witnesses in a court of law at that time, who received the mission. The angel specifically told them that the message was for “all people”. Who was to spread this good news but those shepherds? Thus, they became the first missionaries[5].

God always had a thing for shepherds. He took a shepherd[6]Israel. and made him into a nation. He took another[7] and turned him into a great liberator. He took a young, good-looking shepherd[8] and made him the king of

God had not chosen the wise or the powerful[9] but the foolish, weak, insignificant and despised to bring His message to the world. He has always done this. After all, did He not take a creature made of dust[10] and placed him above the angels[11]?

Each of us struggles along in our own night. We are blinded by our sins[12], shackled by our habits and misled by our enemy[13]. We bump into the consequences of our decisions and wonder how they got there. We keep trudging in spiritual circles, making the same mistakes over and over and we long for some beacon, some lighthouse to guide to safe shores.

Into this night, suddenly breaks a great Light[14] . “The people living in darkness have seen a great Light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned[15].” With this light has come freedom[16]. But it also comes with responsibility[17]. We are to be the reflected light of the world[18]. Our path is to be like the light of the dawn[19], shining bright until others see the Day Star[20].

[1] Luke 2

[2] John 1:4-9

[3] Proverbs 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5-6; James 4:10

[4] John 10:11-16

[5] Luke 2:20

[6] Genesis 30:32-43

[7] Exodus 3:1

[8] 1 Samuel 16:11

[9] 1 Corinthians 1:19-29

[10] Genesis 2:7

[11] 1 Corinthians 6:3

[12] Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2

[13] Revelation 12:9

[14] 2 Peter 1:19

[15] Matthew 4:16

[16] Galatians 5:1

[17] Galatians 5:13-14

[18] Matthew 5:14

[19] Proverbs 4:18

[20] Revelation 22:16

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

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