Monday, December 24, 2018

Suddenly

Monday, December 24, 2018

And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.  And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.  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.”  Luke 2:4-14(NLT)

Surprises come suddenly.  (Now there’s a news flash!)
I’ve never actually liked the idea of surprises.  But surprises don’t ask if they can happen; they just happen.  That is why they’re called surprises – they surprise you!  They’re autonomous – they decide when, where, how much, and with what purpose they happen.  All you have is your reaction to the surprise.
This is why surprises aren’t my favorite thing; I’d like to be able to pick and choose which things life has permission to throw at me.  That surprise 16th birthday party was ok, but nearly severing my big toe back in 1987 was something I would have crossed-off the dance card if I’d known about how weak that aquarium glass was if you put your foot against it to scoot it across the carport.  Surprises sometimes include blood!
The shepherds understood surprises; you don’t care for flocks of sheep, notoriously dumb animals that wander around, falling into all kinds of troubling predicaments, without being familiar with surprises.  It’s just that the shepherds weren’t prepared for an angel and a choir the size of the New Year’s Eve Times Square crowd floating in the night air above.  Surprises can sometimes be terrifying.
But now, later that night, look at the faces of those shepherds, and tell me what happens when a surprise from heaven settles-in to do its work in your life:
Notice that all six faces in the picture (7 if you count the cow) are illuminated.  The artist wanted us to know something about these faces and the worth of this surprise.
We know Mary’s face, a young teen with her firstborn; how do you put into words the joy and overwhelming sense of fearful wonder that you won’t be good enough for all this? 
At Mary’s side, with his hands folded on the cow’s head, we see contented joy.  This shepherd is just taking-in the human moment…and why not?  It’s not often a common shepherd gets to participate in a world-class event…and in a front-row seat!
The Man in the lower left with hands clasped in a prayerful pose shows wonder, his face is an I-don’t-know-what-to-make-of-this prayerful plea of anxiety over what this will mean; will it all be alright?
The boy next to Mary is pure, excited joy.  “Do you believe this; man, this is great” is the expression of youthful naiveté, who cannot possibly see anything but the upside.  This is the Hallmark moment under the Christmas tree; all gift, no grief.
And lastly (besides the cow who may be looking more at the hay that was supposed to be her supper), at the far (upper) left is a man’s face that speaks the shadow of the cross to me.  His right hand is near his heart, and the left raised in something of a benedictory pose.  At first glance I saw just a bland, unfeeling look on that face.  But on deeper examination I see the pathos of future surprises for this child that transcends such a serene moment of a new baby’s untouched life.  This prayerful shepherd understands life will not be all picnics and walks in the park. 
There are indeed hard times ahead for the Christ child.  His willingness to accept all of it, so I can experience His joy, is present enough for me.
For You Today
My deepest prayer for you today is that whatever you’re preparing for, and whomever you will celebrate this Christmas eve, and the season with, that all these emotions and assurances will be yours, like the suddenly surprises the angels brought so long ago to the shepherds.  Contented joy, mixed with a little anxious anticipation, regained naiveté, and the wisdom of preparing for the cross.  Blessed Christmas…. good tidings!
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com

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