Glorifying Shepherds

Linda Rock
1 day ago
3 min read

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Luke 2: 20.

As we draw near to the completion of this Advent Tree of Shepherd shaped lights, many of us are extremely anxious, with child-like excitement to receive the promised, three huge-sized Advent bulbs, from the text quoted above. Most assuredly, faith is energized and lifted by these most precious, calming, cocooning and ever intimate words of our Heavenly Father as He shepherds us. We are remembering what was brought to us of our Shepherd, through His servant, Isaiah. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young. Isaiah 40: 11.

We are totally surrendered to our Shepherd who is adequately mindful and caring of all His flock, regardless of their condition or state of mind. We are all suited to receive these illuminations.

Our minds are now turned to see those caring, vigilant, loving and ever faithful shepherds, who are in the fields watching over their flock by night, as themselves sheep. We are to see them as the Lord’s special little flock and note how they are given the same love, care, attention and protection during the night. It was in the same night hours, when God came to them in His heavenly angel, which scared the living daylights out of them. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Luke 2: 9.

This darkness of fear was immediately dispelled by the angel’s words of, Fear not! Giving them present, profound and a most personal reason why they should not be afraid. They should be in great joy and greatly rejoicing that night, For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2: 11. This clearly and adequately answers our first question, as arisen from the text. From where did the shepherds return? They returned from the City of David.

Much earlier, it was noted that the shepherds were living out in the same country, the country where their Saviour would be given birth. It was the same country where they had come with their flock, because there was good feeding ground for them. It was on the same night time, not morning time or noon time, but in the dark hours of their field lives, when God fed them with food beyond finding. These shepherds, who are in the work and action of shepherding their flock are now being shepherded themselves. They are led to the place of perfect pasture, Bethlehem, David’s city. Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. Luke 2: 15b.

O how lights are being turned on free and fast in us! The shepherds were in the same country, but not in the same city. O yes, being in the country was good, but being in the city was better. The country was high, but the city was higher. The country was called, but the city was chosen, for it was in the city that they found Spiritual Food; Jesus, the Living Bread.

And the shepherds returned. What a returning! What a jubilation! What a privilege! Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.

Note their great joy and unrestrained rejoicing as they glorified and gave supreme praise to God, who had just sumptuously, satisfactorily and selectively fed them His bounty. Note the wisdom of God. He chose a few outside, country dwellers, and brought them into the city, not to dwell there, but to feed there and then leave to feed others.

They had heard all that the angel spoke to them after dispelling the darkness of fear in them. The angel had openly announced to them, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. Luke 2: 10b. The Saviour born to them, was for all the world also, and they honoured that fact, in that they were not selfish, nor were they silent about all they had received.