By Marcia Rossiter

1 Samuel 16:1b “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” (NIV) (1100-931 BC)

1 Samuel 16:11a “So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ ‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep. …” (NIV) (1100-931 BC)

Luke 2:8-14 “That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly. An angel of the Lord appeared among them … The Savior -yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David. …” (NLT)

When we think of the Jewish people of scripture, we may not remember them as shepherds, but maybe we should. The theme of shepherding runs through the Old Testament, foreshadowing Christ our good shepherd.

Abraham was a shepherd. His and Lot’s flocks were so large they had to go separate ways. (Gen 13) Moses was shepherding a flock when God spoke to him from the burning bush. (Exodus 3) David was a shepherd from the town of Bethlehem. He wrote about the Lord being his shepherd in Psalm 23.

So, it’s no wonder that on the night Jesus was born the angel announced the birth of the Savior to a group of shepherds. Telling them they could find Jesus wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.

I can almost picture them scurrying through the streets, poking their heads into every stable they came to, searching for this tiny family gathered around a manger. I imagine them crowding around, trying to get a glimpse of the tiny face of the Messiah the angels sang about. I wonder if they took turns so their sheep weren’t left alone. As they went, they told everyone they came across the good news. In their excitement and joy, they glorified and praised God. Their excitement was almost palpable.

Food For Thought

Have you ever been so excited about something you wanted to share it with everyone? Take a moment to thank God for the good things He’s done for you.