Challenged

We have received a Cautionary Word through the events of that wonderful night, when angels came to earth in the presence of shepherds. Now we are in the throes of being challenged about a number of things. Let me refresh our minds of the following facts concerning the heavenly host.

• They were in the presence of earthlings, and ordinary ones at that, who were not prepared for them.

• They came suddenly to these people at work, in their place of work.

• They were not in a conventional place of worship, a church or cathedral, for example.

• They were among all that the good and bad of the dark, open fields offered.

Challenged

Now we continue, with quickened sight, to look at these messengers of God’s Good News. In their mission of praise, as they gave glory to God in the highest heaven, they never had to change a word, adjust a line or even tweak any of the praise they were offering to God, just because their surroundings changed. In other words, not because they were on earth, among non-celestial beings and had the real threats of all this world’s evils around them, did they feel the need to alter the praise they would have given in heaven. Listen to them again, Glory to God in the highest heaven.

Was this not the praise they uttered in heaven also, as day and night they sang, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 4: 8b. Does not faith challenge us to believe that our praise to God, dictated, directed and delivered by the Spirit Himself, is praise fit for heaven? O yes indeed! Here is a choice we have to make. We have to decide whether to stand in the midst of human praise and all that is human, threatening, false, deceptive and utterly blasphemous at times and think that we ought to alter our Praise Song about God, because of what is likely to happen to us and others. Learn from the shepherds, as we too receive, praise that is not tempered and fixed to suit human desires. Dare to receive all that you are hearing from God’s sent servants, and know that you are standing in the presence of pure praise.

Constrained

These shepherds, believe it or not, had the biggest choice or faith decision to make, when they heard the rest of the angels’ lyrics. And on earth peace to those with whom his favor rests.

Let’s spend a bit more time listening to how relevant and practical this all is to us, in our Christian walk with our Jesus. The full attention of the heavenly hosts seems to turn now to an earthly hold. Peace on earth! Did you hear that? These angels from God are not just giving Him praise, but they are bellowing forth the fruit, the produce that will be given on earth. Peace on earth!

Peace is Jesus, first and foremost. The shepherds are hearing these celestial beings say to them, right here on earth that there has now come peace to all on whom God’s favour rests. Jesus, Saviour of the world, has come. What is this peace and how can it be true, what they are proclaiming?

The shepherds, like you and me on earth, are living in a place where there is no peace. Just look at one reason why they are out at night, with their sheep? It is because they have no peace in letting their sheep graze at night without night-stalkers coming to steal and to kill their sheep.

Do we really live with no peace of mind, when sin and evil run rampant throughout the land and nothing seems to be able to stem that depravity of human beings, such as we are? Where are you with your peace status? You and I know, our status, by the fruit we are bearing.