Hallelujah! Happy Fourth Sunday of Advent!

Merry Christmas! 

Third Sunday of Advent: The Shepherds' Candle

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground;
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around,
and glory shone around.
(Nahum Tate, 1652-1715)

 

This is a picture of my great grandfather, Elias Sandoval, who was a shepherd.

I wonder why God chose to reveal himself to these men of this profession that holy night.  Why didn't the angel go to an office where accountants were burning the midnight oil?  Why didn't the angel go to a group of school children camping out under the stars?  Why didn't the angel go to the government building and reveal the good tidings to the lawmakers in the land?  Why didn't the angel go to where the priests toiled over the scrolls, examining the Law of Moses?

I don't know, but I think maybe Jesus has a special affinity for shepherds.

In this act of revealing Himself to shepherds abiding in a field, the Lord showed us that He honors the common man, the hard-working soul who daily puts his hand to the task and doesn't get proper recognition.  I think that God likes to honor those who don't get honor for themselves--fishermen, tax collectors, beggars, carpenters, an insignificant young virgin, innkeepers with too many guests, a widow living in the temple and, of course, shepherds.

Jesus chooses these.  Well, that has to be the best tidings of the greatest joy I can imagine!  For the person whom no one notices to be chosen to be visited by a multitude of heavenly hosts and to see God wrapped in flesh and lying in a manger.....

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:8-11

[Note from my great Uncle Ernest, who at 86 is an avid Facebooker: Thank you.  I didn't even know this picture existed. I too herded sheep with Dad at about when I was 13 yrs old. This pic was taken around 1946. We were digging a cellar under the house.]

Second Sunday of Advent: Bethlehem Candle

When Jesus comes into a place, He puts it on the map!  Some obscure places have become beacons to the world because God moved in that place!  Almost everyone has heard of the Revival in Brownsville, the Lakeland Outpouring, the Toronto Blessing, the Azusa Street Revival, etc.  Who would have thought that such insignifcant little places would become so well known! They are not the first small places that God has transformed, though!

 

"But, you Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting!"  Micah 5:2

Imagine the God of all creation, everlasting, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient!  The One Who spoke the very world into existence and the One Who keeps the world spinning on its axis--this very God CHOSE to be born as a helpless infant, born to an obscure couple (not even married!), in a stable in a little town called Bethlehem!  The prominent ones of society didn't welcome Him into the world.  There were just that young couple, some curious little animals, and some shepherds smelling of the fields.  This wasn't just the audience that HAPPENED to be there.  This was the audience that Jesus CHOSE!!

It's comforting to know that God chooses the insignificant things, insignificant places, and insignificant people!  It's a comforting thought, because that means I qualify!!  :-)

"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence."  I Corinthians 1:27-29

It's beautiful to think that being foolish doesn't disqualify us, being weak doesn't make us the last one chosen.  God's measuring stick is certainly not man's!  On God's team, being the little guy makes you the first chosen to play, not the last!

Tonight as we light the Bethlehem candle on our Advent wreath, I'm going to be thinking of this very thing!  God hasn't chosen me because of my great abilities.  He has chosen me simply because He wanted me with no ulterior motive.  "That no flesh should glory in His presence."

If you've ever felt inferior, foolish, weak, small, poor, insignificant in the big scheme of things, too old, too young, too slow, not brave enough or unknown--then Christmas is your season!  It's a season to realize that God chooses you.  And uses people, places, and things just like you to put to shame the things that are wise, mighty and those that glory in their own power.

It's my season!  Is it yours?

And just for fun, enjoy this video and may your spirit be uplifted!

First Sunday of Advent: The Prophecy Candle

All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel--`God is with us.'  Isaiah 7:14

(from allposters.com)