Project 119: Heaven and Nature Sing | Luke 2:8-21
| Project 119
Reading for Wednesday, December 23: Luke 2:8-21
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
-"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” is one of the most popular of Christmas carols, one which contains the significance of Jesus’ birth for all peoples. Quite frankly, I don’t know of another carol that captures all the essential truths of the Christmas story like this one. It celebrates the miracle of incarnation. It reminds us of the mystery of God’s abiding presence with us mortal beings. It pinpoints how the messianic promises were fulfilled in Jesus. It calls forth our worship at the splendor revealed in this infant King.
But the Bible text the hymn draws upon contains an element that most people too often miss, which is the response to the angels’ song. As Luke tells us, when the heavenly host left the shepherds and they were all alone, they didn’t just shake their heads in disbelief. They instead responded enthusiastically to what they took to be a remarkable invitation: “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about” (Luke 2:15 NIV). Shepherds were rarely on the receiving end of such remarkable news. “Out of sight, out of mind” was more their lot in life. The idea that heaven would open to them the opportunity to be a party to such redemptive glory was more than they could pass up. So, even though their shift with the sheep was likely not over, they left their flocks and made haste to Bethlehem to behold the newborn King.
It’s one thing to receive a special invitation to something. It’s another thing to respond quickly and enthusiastically, especially when you know in your heart that you didn’t deserve the invitation in the first place.
Christmas is such an invitation, one that extends to every person, great or small. Regardless of whether you fit in the former category or the latter one (or, most likely, somewhere in between), don’t let the opportunity to behold the glory of Jesus for yourself pass you by. It is a sight and a splendor that you should never, for the life of you, want to miss.