“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. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
‘Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'” – Luke 2:8-14
On a quiet night outside Bethlehem, God chose the most unlikely messengers to receive heaven’s greatest announcement—shepherds. These were rugged, practical men who lived with their sheep, endured scorching days and freezing nights, and defended their flock with the courage of David himself (1 Samuel 17:34–37). They were not scholars or priests, but ordinary workers with dirt under their nails and strength in their hands. Yet God entrusted them with the news that the Good Shepherd had been born. Their boldness mixed with fear drove them not to pride, but to dependence. Who better to carry a message of hope than those willing to be in the trenches—faithful, humble, and ready to obey?
The angel’s message was simple and stunning: “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10, NKJV). This was not a local announcement—it was a worldwide gospel. The Messiah had come for Jew and Gentile alike, fulfilling promises spoken centuries earlier by Isaiah and Micah. As the sky filled with a multitude of angels praising God, heaven declared peace—not political peace, but the peace that comes through salvation. True comfort for the soul is found only in Jesus, the One who brings goodwill to all who receive Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord.
When the angels departed, the shepherds didn’t follow the angels—they followed God’s Word. They hurried to Bethlehem because the message aligned with Scripture. And when they found Jesus just as they had been told, they couldn’t keep it to themselves. They spread the news, filling hearts with wonder. Meanwhile, Mary quietly treasured every moment, watching God’s promises unfold before her eyes. And as the shepherds returned to their fields, they worshiped—because everything happened exactly as God said it would. God chose shepherds, not priests, to be the first witnesses of Christ’s birth. Humble men announcing the arrival of the ultimate Shepherd.
God still uses ordinary people to carry extraordinary news. Like the shepherds, we are called to share the true message of Jesus—wherever He places us. Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to seek and save the lost, to serve rather than be served, and to bring peace to every heart that trusts Him. The timeless method has never changed: God sends His people into the world with the gospel. May we be faithful, humble, and willing—trusted messengers carrying a true message in a world that desperately needs it.
surrendered devotions 