Heavenly Hosts Praise God

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’”
                                 Luke 2:13-14 (KJV)
 






Hi friends,

     How are you?  I hope you all had a blessed Christmas.  Last week, I spoke and pondered about Mary.  This week, I will talk and ponder about the message that the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds. 
 
     Can you imagine being in the place of the shepherds?  One day you are quietly tending your sheep, as usual.  The next day, the angel of the Lord comes to you and tells you a savior is born and you should go visit.  Then, as if you aren’t freaked out enough by the angel, all of a sudden, heavenly hosts start praising God with the angel. 
 
     How would you feel?  Would you be fearful, joyful, confused, hesitant, disbelieving, worried, humbled, or what?  Would you want to start praising God with the heavenly hosts?  Would you want to hide or celebrate?  Would you feel honored that the angel came to you with a message? 

     The shepherds go to see Jesus, so we can guess that they either believed everything they were told or they were curious.  Would you drop everything and go see your Lord and Savior?  Would you believe or at least be curious?

     I can’t even imagine being those shepherds.  It must have been a magnificent, humbling, and joyous experience, once they got over their fear.  It is difficult enough to imagine being visited by an angel of the Lord.  I wonder what a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God would look like.  It must be beautiful though.  

     Were they angel and heavenly hosts sent by God so that the shepherds would believe that Jesus was their Savior?  Was it so the shepherds would understand the magnitude of Jesus’ birth and purpose on earth? I don’t know.  Do we understand the magnitude of Jesus’ birth and purpose on earth?  Do we show it?  Do we live it?  Do we share it with others?  I can imagine that we will experience something like this in heaven some day. I wonder if the shepherds felt a little bit of heaven in those moments on earth.

     Let’s ponder the message of the heavenly hosts, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Was this a foreshadowing of how Jesus would spend His time on earth?  Was it a message and example of how we should act? I wonder if the shepherds understood it. Do we give glory to God?  Do we act with peace and good will towards others?
     
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus!  Thank you for the message through your holy Word.  Help us to join with the heavenly hosts in praising you, giving glory to you, and giving peace on earth and good will towards others.  Help us to appreciate and acknowledge the message you gave to the shepherds that day long ago.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen.
 
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Reflective questions for Luke 2:13-14 (KJV):
*What does Luke 2:13-14 mean to me?
*Do I appreciate the message of the angel of the Lord and the heavenly 
 hosts?
*How would I feel if I received that message on that day so long ago?
*Do I understand and appreciate the magnitude of Jesus’ birth and purpose 
 on earth?
*What is the lesson God has for me in Luke 2:13-14?
*How can I better live the message of Luke 2:13-14?
*What can I do differently to better appreciate and live the words of Luke 
 2:13-14?
      
 Now, it is your turn.
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     I pray you have a safe and Happy New Year!  I will be praying and preparing for the new year this week.  I will also be updating and changing the  DUO Inspirations site a bit.  If you have any ideas, suggestions, or requests, please feel free to contact me.  I am open to your thoughts.  Please, feel free to explore it now and after I change it.  God bless.
 

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