Luke 2:7-20 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. 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.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 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. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. The Message of the Angel This is the greatest news you have ever heard. It is going to be a source of great joy. The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord, has just been born in Bethlehem. Here is how you will find Him. He is wrapped in swaddling cloths and in a stable in a manger. Application God speaks in various ways. At times He uses a big voice, and, at times, a still small voice. At times, He uses the lyrics of a song, or the words of a prayer. But He does speak. He might just interrupt your day today and speak to you. Fear is a natural response when we receive a word from God. Sometimes the fear comes because we have strayed away, we have broken the commandments, and our relationship with God is strained. Sometimes it is just shocking that God would intercept our lives and speak to us. But the message that God sends to us is a saving message. It is a message that invites us to a better life, a better way of living, and a much brighter future. He invites us to lay down our fear and our reluctance and place our faith in Him. He invites us to run to Him, kneel before Him, lay our burdens at His feet, and receive His grace. Let’s do that today