Luke 2:8-20
“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.’ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.’ When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.”
In the ultimate movement to be with his people since creation, God wraps himself up in a human body and enters earth in the most human of ways. He then sends a heavenly choir to entertain some ragamuffin local shepherds. What’s most interesting is that God doesn’t present himself to kings or rich people. He has no need to position himself because he has an other-worldly kind of power. God’s kind of “with” is fundamentally about relationship with people who need him.
Here’s your freedom for today: God desires to be with those who desire him.
What is the desire of your heart this holiday season? What expectations do you have of this day? Of next year? Of your life? Has your heart been disappointed with your earthly circumstances? Or perhaps you are living well but you are feeling spiritually void. Challenge yourself to spend time in quiet prayer asking God to align your desires and expectations with his. Seek Immanuel more than any other desire today.