When I think of Advent, I think of a big wooden door -- like maybe one found on a cathedral, or a monastery, or maybe just an old ancient inn. I imagine Jesus on the other side of it ... knocking.My heart beats faster. I imagine a key turning the lock ... I hear the lock release ... then I see the knob beginning to turn, and I know that it is the hand of my Lord turning it from the other side. I realize I'm about to come face to face with Him. Can you feel the excitement of it? Can you sense the anticipation? That's what Advent season is all about!
Luke 2:8-10 (NLT)
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
Isaiah 40:3-5 (NLT)
Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to share a story about angels. I went home for my parents 50th anniversayr this last June, and that Sunday the sermon was on angels. The minister had a sampling of Christmas cards with "cute" angels on them (you know; kid angels, cotton ball sheep, or the "heavenly host" so far off, you can hardly see them) and he asked were these the images of angels we have? He went on to talk about the angels who were soldiers for God. Here are some examples:
Psalm 78:49 He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels.
Psalm 91:10-12
10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
2 Kings 6:15-17
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Isaiah 6:1-4
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
2 Kings 19:34-35
34 I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant."
35 That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!
1 Chronicals 21: 15-16
15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown
Matthew 13:38-40
38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
And if you still don't get the picture, read Revelation Chapter 8!
These are no cherubs; these are no child angels with cotton ball sheep... These are mighty angels; these warriors and servants of God...It really puts this passage into context; (Luke 2:8-10)
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."
They were afraid! Not just because it was unexpected or supernatural, but because these were majestic and holy beings making a LOUD noise and singing "glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men!" These brave burley men who bare-handedly fought wolves, coyotes and other hunters of sheep, trembled in their sandles and their frocks... and did what they were told... they went to see the new-born king! Thanks be to God!