Breaking the Invisible Barrier

Have you ever been in a situation where suddenly your assumptions or thoughts about a specific person or thing were pretty much blown right off the map? Maybe it was the moment you realized the little test you were “prepared” for was really an overwhelming obstacle you had no chance of conquering. Or the moment you realized that the cute girl who sits in front of you in Chemistry really does like you... a lot! Or how about the moment you realized your team was completely over-matched  Or... well, you get the point. There are moments of clarity where what you thought was the case may not necessarily be the case at all.

Do you remember the shepherds in the nativity (the Birth of Jesus) story? The ones out in fields, keeping watch “o’er their flock”, minding their own business? If you don’t, maybe this will jog your memory:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:8-14)

Those shepherds experienced one of those moments in a big, big way. It’s safe to say that the shepherds knew God. Or they knew of Him as well as they could. They were Israelites. Their people had a rich history with God. They were, after all, God’s people. But, everything they thought they knew about God and His ways were pretty much overwhelmed that night. All of a sudden, the God who was a little distant and a lot mysterious, was right up in their world. In their faces! Look at the description in verse 9: “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” Can you even imagine? God was no longer an idea, He was real. He had broken the invisible barrier between His Kingdom and this world. And it’s entirely safe to say the world was never the same. Isn’t that a pretty good way to think about the Christmas story in general? Isn’t it really as simple as God breaking the barrier and coming into our world? It is that simple. Yet, the power behind this simple truth is life changing. You are who you are today because God chose to send His Son into this world.

Blessed Advent and merry Christmas!