Author God,
I love the true stories you give us in your Word,
and how fun it is to think about all of the wild and wonderful characters
you wrote into the story of Jesus’ birth.
I just imagine those burly, brave shepherds,
accustomed to fending off predators who might harm their sheep,
shaking in their boots when an angel suddenly appeared.
As your glory shone around the angel, they “were filled with fear.”
And then your angel delivered your message of
“good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Lord God, we pray that you will dissolve all of our fears
with that good news of great joy that you wrote into the world.
Give us the boldness to run to see Jesus, this startling infant king,
your very presence with us, lying in a manger.
By your Spirit, make all of the “old old stories” new in our hearts.
And send us out, like the shepherds,
“glorifying and praising [you] for all [we have] heard and seen,
as it [has] been told us” (Luke 2:20).
In Jesus’ joyous name. Amen.
