Day 4: Presence
Shepherds - Presence
By Alison Emery
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… When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. (Luke 2:8-12, 15 (NLT))
In ancient times, shepherds were often marginalized people, living amongst flocks of livestock in open fields for months on end. Literally one of the stinkiest, dirtiest jobs someone could have. In Bible times (and even today in the Middle East), many shepherds were women (like Rachel and Zipporah in the Old Testament). Culturally, women were overlooked and powerless.
It was to these ordinary people, going about their ordinary work, in an ordinary setting that God announced the birth of a Savior, the long-awaited Messiah, Christ the Lord.
It was nighttime, but the shepherds were wide awake. They weren’t slumbering in their beds, but instead, they were keeping faithful watch over the flock entrusted to them, guarding them from predators. They were present and ready to receive the incredible news God announced to them. Immediately, without hesitation, the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see this promised one, trusting what the Lord had said to them. Later, they were equally ready to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to everyone they encountered.
These ordinary (and perhaps outcast) shepherds maintained their posture of presence and readiness, despite the shocking and life-changing events they witnessed. They were attuned to what God wanted to do in and through them, even in an ordinary moment of faithfulness and diligence in their work.
The shepherds’ actions evidenced their understanding of a deep truth: the Lord meets us in the ordinary. He speaks to us amidst our everyday lives, no matter how mundane we may think them to be or how insignificant we may feel. He’s always near us, listening and whispering to us. In the middle of our workday, while we’re washing dishes or taking out the trash, making school lunches or rocking the baby to sleep. Sitting in traffic or playing pickleball with our friends. Entering data in a spreadsheet or watching the sun rise. Sitting on the beach or standing at a graveside.
God’s rapt attention is focused on each of us, in every moment. Even the moments when I feel forgotten, overlooked, or misunderstood. When I’m at the end of my rope and don’t know how to make it through the day. When I’m celebrating the best thing to ever happen to me.
God is fully present with me in the ordinary. Am I fully present with Him? He’s there, waiting for me to notice. To listen to Him and talk with Him. To trust what He says and do what He asks. To just be with Him, giving Him access to every part of my life. Like the shepherds, to be present and ready and available to receive His Word and His heart. And to also be fully present with others, to tell them about our Savior, Father, and friend.
Are you fully present and ready for what God wants to do in and through you? What might be holding you back from fully trusting Him and sharing Him with others?
