And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14 

---

In our Hallmark dreams, we often picture Christmas as a snow-covered, peace and joy-filled day. One where everyone gets along, the children are well-behaved, the know-it-all Aunt holds her tongue for 24 hours, and nothing controversial leaves anyone’s mouth. But the reality is often the opposite. Like our first Christmas as a family of three, when our little guy was only eight months old and had to be taken to urgent care on Christmas Day. I was so scared of what might be wreaking havoc on his lungs, and so sad to miss the Christmas morning I had envisioned in my mind. 

The messiness of real life doesn’t just stop for one day—no matter how many plans and contingency plans we make to avoid the mess. Kids will misbehave, someone might still get sick, relatives will say things they shouldn’t, food will get burned—and the list goes on. And this very real-life experience is precisely where Jesus dwells and makes His home. 

The night Jesus was born, the angel visited the messiest bunch of them all, the shepherds. Smelly and dirty, they were probably a sight, but not too much for the Glory of God. No, they were just right, exactly what the heavenly host was looking for—eager hearts longing for the one they would call their Messiah, mess and all. 

Just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean all will be perfect; after all, we live on this side of eternity. But because it is Christmas, we can know with total confidence that Jesus has come, Emmanuel chose to dwell among us, and that is Good News for all! 

Merry Christmas to you, whether it’s a day just as you hoped or one filled with hiccups, may the Prince of Peace be ever near and His joy abound! 

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, 
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Next Step

If you are reading this before the day begins, pray for eyes of faith to see where He is moving today. 

If you are reading this at the end of the day (or later), spend time reflecting on where you sensed His presence