G'day! Here is the second post of my new series the birth of the King. This one is about the Shepherds. I will post another in a few days. Enjoy. :)
The dark night sky sprinkled with bright stars stretched across the hilly country which spread out around the shepherds and their flocks. The light of the moon glinted off creases of the steadily flowing stream nearby, and the sheep were but shadows grazing peacefully in the cool of night. The youngest of the three shepherds threw the twig he had been fiddling with into the camp fire, instantly it was engulfed in flame and began to twist as it burned.
He sighed deeply and turned his gaze to the starry heavens. This is what he loved about being a shepherd, it made up for all the lonely days spent guiding the sheep about the country. Content, he lay down to go to sleep until it was his turn to watch the sheep. He closed his weary eyes. Light streamed in through his eye lids, turning them a blazing red. Surprised, he opened his eyes, a light purer then any he had ever seen, and a thousands time brighter flooded his eyeballs. His heart raced and he shouted aloud, out of a mixture of pain and fear. Part of his young soul wanted to stand up and fight this intrusion which had certainly by now scattered the sheep to every corner of Judea. But all he could do was roll onto his stomach and bury his eyes in his hands to protect them. The light seeped through his fingers and his whole body shook, sure that this would be his death, but still, something drew his eyes up and what he was made him all the more certain that his death had come. A large being stood in the sky, the light seemed to emanate from him, he looked very much like a human and yet completely different. He wore armor which shone like the sun and a sword at his side.
The young shepherd raised his arm to protect his face, sure that that sword would soon slice through his heart at any moment. He could hear his companions shouting in fear around him.
"Do not be afraid!" The being raised a hand as if to sooth them as he spoke. Peace strengthened the shepherd and he looked on him without fear as he continued. "For I bring you tidings of great joy! The savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloth!"
The shepherds watched in wonder as the whole sky filled with the beings, angels. All of which wore armor similar to the first's and swords of fire at their sides. Their voices rose on wings of silk to join that of the other thousands around them as they sang: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and goodwill to men!"
Then, just as quickly as they had come they were gone and the night once more became peaceful, all except for the bleating of the scattered sheep. The shepherd took one look at his older companions and his decision was sealed by the mirrored looks of determination on their faces. As they set out toward Bethlehem he glanced back at the wondering sheep. What if a wolf attacks? They're all I have. He quickly brushed the thought aside, this, seeing the Messiah was of far greater importance then the sheep.
As they neared the city, bustling with those looking for a place to spend the night on account of the census, they were joined by many other shepherds who had seen and believed what the angel had said. Still others could be seen gathering their sheep together again, or huddled close to a camp fire to keep warm. The young shepherd shook his head sadly. "How can they not see that this is the Messiah?" He asked an older man walking beside him.
The old man's beard trembled as he spoke. "They are blinded by their human belief of what is important. You see, they do not see because they do not want to see." His old eyes looked grieved. "This is the most glorious day of all for shepherds, we have been given a gift usually bestowed to kings. And yet we, shepherds, the lowly, have been chosen to receive it. It is a shame that there are so many who refuse to take it."
The group, which by now was extensive came to the town and quickly found the stable where a young girl and a man huddled over a manger where a baby lay wrapped in swaddling cloth. The man jumped to his feet as thy neared, his eyes watching them suspiciously. But the shepherds hardly noticed, they passed him to where the frightened girl sat, now holding the baby.
The young shepherd worked his way to the front of the group, after taking one glance at the sleeping child he fell to his knees,, he gazed into his face and could hardly breathe as he whispered. "You are not as separated from us as I had once thought, a king who would hardly have enough time to pay attention to us lowly. Instead, you've been born in the humblest of places, a stable. And us shepherds, the humblest of men were chosen to be the first to hear of your birth. Now, I truly know that you are Emmanuel; God with us."
