The Night When Jesus Was Born

I had lunch with a dear friend this week.  As we were talking, my friend began to talk about the Christmas story.  She is to teach on this subject in her Bible class on Sunday.  She told me that, as she was contemplating this familiar story,  three things drew her attention.  She shared her thoughts after which I said to her, “That’s great; may I borrow that?”  “Please do,” she happily agreed.  Therefore, I share with you what my friend shared with me.  She calls it — The Three P’s.

On the night Jesus was born, the Scripture tells us in Luke 2:9 that a host of angels appeared to a group of shepherds who were tending their sheep.  The shepherds were frightened at first, but calmed as the angels reassured them and even sang praises before them.  In other words, when this never seen before phenomena appears before them, they were perplexed.

The shepherds did as the angels instructed them; they went to Bethlehem and found the Christ child laying in a manger.  The angels told everyone what had happened that night when the angels appeared to them.  In Luke 2:19 we are told that “Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and pondered upon them often.”

In the next verse we see that the shepherds return to their fields and flocks.  As they were going, they were “glorifying and praising God for what the angles had told them and because they had seen the Christ child.”

What a night!  The shepherds are perplexed.  Mary ponders it all.  The shepherds go away praising God for all that has taken place.  It would be a night to remember — a night that is still celebrated to this day.

We can fully understand why the shepherds were perplexed.  They were in a situation they had never been in before.  Then there is Mary.  She’s already been in an unexpected situation when an angel told her she would deliver Jesus into the world and yet she was a virgin.  Yet, as unimaginable as that could be, she believed God and humbly gave herself to Him.  She treasured in her heart all that took place.  Then, the story ends in praises being given to God for what He had done in sending the Christ child into the world.

What an amazing application for our own lives.  Haven’t we all found ourselves in unimaginable situations?  We’re scared, perplexed!  However, when we choose to trust God, giving Him our fears, trusting Him with the outcome, goodness is surely to follow.  When His goodness comes, like Mary, we have a wealth of God’s blessings to store in our hearts.  Remembering our blessings always serves to lift our dampened spirits in times of distress and fear.  When we’re perplexed, but choose to trust God with the outcome, then seeing His goodness follow; well, what fun it is then to praise Him for what He has done.

God always has our best interests in His heart.  That’s why Jesus came — because God so loved the world.  God loves you.  He loves me.  Are you in a perplexing situation?  Choose to trust Him with the outcome.  Then, when the blessings come, praise Him for all He has done.  That formula is sure to bring inner joy in the darkest of days.