I Knew Him-The Shepherd

[Cloudwalker]

The Shepherd
 

I’m a shepherd.  I guess you could say I was among the first to welcome him.  Oh, that was a wondrous night, but it didn’t start out that way.  Far from it!  It started out just the same as any other night.  But it sure didn’t stay that way.  We were gathered on a hillside just outside of Bethlehem that night.  Normally we don’t gather the flocks together at that time of year, but the weather was a bit cool and so we banded together to keep a bit warmer.  It was just an ordinary night.  The sheep were all bedded down, and so were most of us, for that matter.  There were just a few of us up at the time, taking our turn at watch while the others slept.  It was a quiet night.  Those of us watching spent the time joking and quietly telling stories.  Anything to keep awake.  Just an ordinary night out on the hillside around Bethlehem.  Just us and the sheep. 

Then, without warning, everything changed.  What once was blackest night, suddenly was brighter than the brightest day.  One moment we were alone, trying to fight off sleep, the next we were all wide awake and trembling in the presence of a being too bright to behold.  One minute everything was ordinary, the next, nothing would be ordinary ever again. 

The first words the angel spoke were “Fear not.”  I’ll never forget them because they are the most needed and, at the same time, most useless words ever spoken.  After all, you stand in the presence of an angel of God and I defy you not to be petrified.  And no amount of urging to “fear not” will change that.  But I did manage to calm down enough to hear the angel’s message. 

“Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this night in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign to you.  You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” 

As soon as the angel finished the sky became a hundred times brighter as the entire sky, as far as the eye could see, instantly became filled with angels.  All of them praising God.  I will never forget that sound as long as I live.  It echoes in my ears even now.  All the musicians in all the world throughout all time could not produce a sound one-tenth as beautiful as those Angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”  And just as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone. 

You didn’t have to urge us twice.  Immediately we began to run as fast as we could toward Bethlehem.  We wanted to see for ourselves what the angel had told us about.  It didn’t take long to find Him.  Usually, shepherds are a boisterous lot, but not that night.  The best word to describe us that night as we entered the stable was reverent.  And one look at the child would tell you why.  I can’t put my finger on what it was, but that child was special.  He captured me that night, and he holds
me still.  I will never get over that night.  And you know what?  I don’t want to.