Beaming Hearts

One of our idioms speaks of, ‘Beaming from ear to ear’, referring to people with broad smiles or grins on their faces. Won’t you agree with me, especially around Christmas Time, with both children and adults as well, many beam from ear to ear? It is the natural response to receiving presents, gifts and surprises, which automatically bring forth such happy responses. Perhaps you are still beaming from some gift or surprise experienced at Christmas.

Today, we go to the Christmas Narrative, where we meet some of the most familiar and well-known characters.

In nearby fields, outside the town of Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks. It was night time, the most dangerous time for shepherds in the fields, for that was when they were most likely to lose their sheep to wolves and other nocturnal predators.

One night, they had the scare of their lives, an unprecedented surprise which, I can assure you, did not have them beaming from ear to ear. Might I add that this did not come from a predator? This terrifying scare came about when God’s angelic messenger, sent from heaven, appeared to them in the full light and glory of the Lord God. So terrified were these shepherds, they could neither help themselves nor their sheep. But the angel spoke directly to them calming them and telling them not to fear. Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2: 10b. What a relief, what an absolute relief that they were not going to be harmed by this supernatural experience.

They listened with rapt attention to the News of the Birth of a Saviour, of God Immanuel and O how they beamed in the glory of such Good News. Can’t you just see the immediate change on their faces? Can’t you just hear their excited hearts racing at record-breaking speeds? Additionally, when that one angel was joined by a host of other angels, there was singing on earth as those shepherds had never imagined could happen. The host of angels glorified and praised God as the heavens rang out blessings. O how every single shepherd’s heart, regardless of age, of wear and tear, or of experience, beamed as never ever before. In the same manner as the fields were warmed and brightened up by the heavenly hosts, so too were those shepherds, as the radiant glory of the heavenly beings embraced and encompassed them.

The shepherds left and went to find the place they were told about and there, in the manger, in a stable, they found the Baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph.

At the end of this life-changing experience, this is what we are told about those shepherds. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2: 20. Beaming hearts returned to tell all that they had been told.

God’s messengers still come to us in our night-time hours, causing us some deep concerns and even scaring us at times. We become more afraid of the Lord’s appearing than we are of the dangers around us. The Word of God to us still says, Do not be afraid. We are then given revelations, which inform us of all that God wishes us to know about His plan for our salvation and that of others. We listen in awe. We believe and receive all that is being offered to us. Our hearts are transformed. For us poor, outside folk, there is hope. For all who are marginalized and who feel excluded, there is hope in the Coming of Jesus. For all who believe that their lives do not really matter that much, because of their changed financial circumstances, which have left them worst off, and for those who, because of advancing years, have lost much zeal and zest for life, there is wonderful hope in our Lord’s Coming. Trust Jesus! Refuse to give up or cave in because of all the evils of this world. Jesus was born into this same dark, evil world. His coming was and still is expressly to change our hearts and make us know joy, hope, peace and unfailing love in Him.

Please, never be deceived about this. The Spirit of God is not on a vacation in some other place where you are not. He is right here to make you beam with life-saving news.