Reader Writes December 2023

The dogs stirred, two sat up, all ears twitched and eyes opened. A wolf called from the hill, then

another from away towards the town. The shepherds paused their conversation by the fire. The

sheep? They hardly stirred, an ear moved and muzzles wrinkled. Wolves; they were always there,

but the mountain dogs would see through their trickery, and sense them well before they could

attack the flock. Was something afoot? All rested alert; no moon but uncountable stars shining

bright. It was cold and still. Was something else alerting men and beasts?

Suddenly a great light appeared in the sky. The shepherds were amazed and terrified. The dogs

stood up staring and whimpering. Wolves howled in the distance. Deer came out of the woods.

And then there came a great angel, wings shining white; the men shrank back in wonder and fear

before his celestial fire. “I bring you news of great joy that will be for all people”, the angel said; all

people? Even shepherds, poor people, those who have never studied at the temple? Foreigners

perhaps? Persians, Ethiopians, Romans, Greeks? The angel went on; “A Saviour has been born to

you; he is Christ the Lord, and you will find him lying in an ox’s manger”. Suddenly a great host of

angels filled the sky, praising God “Glory to God in the highest, Glory to God in the highest, and

peace to mankind on whom his favour rests.”

Could this be true? Had the long awaited Messiah, foretold by the prophets, at last appeared?

Would the yoke of injustice be broken, would light come into this dark world? Would a child bring

God to share their world, a Saviour for mankind? With ecstasy in their hearts, confused and

amazed, they got up and hurried to Bethlehem to find this child, hungry for a new kingdom. And

so they came, God-lit, star-led, to a stable where the baby was laid in a manger of hay. A great

commotion had broken out. A cock crowed for a new world, the ox lowed, a donkey brayed. The

shepherds fell on their poor knees before this child. The young mother rested and smiled with

wonder.

No props for this strange drama but the wild excess of the human heart, and wisps of straw, and

angelic light. Immanuel, God with us. God come to share our world, to walk with us, God’s plan for

rescue, God the redeemer. Will the exiles from Eden finally return, walking home together with

the Prince of Peace? A Saviour has been born, the angel had said. He is Christ the King. The Word

has come to dwell among us, full of grace and truth. This is the light that the darkness shall never

overcome. This is the salvation that men will only see if they bow to God, our Lord and our

Creator. This is the King of kings, come to share our world, a pattern, the promised one, the ark to

lift our lives above the flood, the man to walk in our place to the lonely hill.

Dawn was fast approaching. The commotion died down. The child was here. A new dawn for all

people. Our Creator and judge would become our redeemer. The shepherds returned to their

flock, in silence, thoughtfully, filled with wonder. This message for us, for us? For us!

Robert MacCurrach