Are you ready for Christmas? It’s a question that is asked and answered hundreds of times each December. But will you take a minute and stop and think with me about this question, as it relates to the very first Christmas, when people didn’t even know what Christmas was yet. 

The shepherds who received that first birth announcement for Jesus weren’t anticipating Christmas. They were just ordinary men, working on an ordinary night, doing an ordinary job. From society’s standpoint these shepherds were more than likely not even noticed or considered. Certainly not seen as important in any way. But God saw them. God knew them and God chose them to be invited into the extraordinary by announcing the birth of the long awaited Messiah to them first! 

Can you even imagine? These ordinary men had likely heard prophecies about the coming Messiah their entire lives. Ezekiel 34:11-16  is one such prophecy, it says- “‘For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them. As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and total darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will tend them in good pasture, and their grazing place will be on Israel’s lofty mountains. There they will lie down in a good grazing place; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will tend my flock and let them lie down. This is the declaration of the Lord God. I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.’’

“Are you ready for Christmas”, takes on a whole new meaning when you think about it in context to those who had been waiting their entire lives for the promised Messiah. It had been 400 years since anyone new had even prophesied about the coming King. If someone were to ask you today “Are you ready for Christmas?” How would you answer? Many of us would likely answer “no” or “I’m getting close” or perhaps some would even say “I’m ready for it to be over”. But what if we were to flip that question into one perhaps even these shepherds were discussing that night – are you ready for the Messiah? Their answer would have been – “Are you kidding me?! I’ve been ready and waiting for Him my entire life! But I’m beginning to think He isn’t really coming. It’s been so long since anyone has even heard from God.” Suddendly angels appear with a huge annocement, and instantly they realize and understand that God had working, preparing the way the entire time. Jesus, the long awaited Messiah had been born! I imagine them running the entire way to see this newborn King! Over come with joy and excitement, but also with wonder and awe! Can you even imagine?

So, as we move closer to celebrating the birth of this long awaited and promised Messiah, let me ask you – Are you ready for Jesus, the Messiah? Are you in the same place as these shepherds, living an ordinary life, wondering if God even hears your prayers and when He will speak? I want to encourage you in the kindest way possible – stop striving, stop doing, stop trying to earn your way into His good graces and simply open your arms to accept the gift He has already provided for you – Jesus! He did come, He is here and He is searching, waiting and more than willing to rescue you for all of eternity! All you have to do is ask. 

Are you ready for Christmas? Are you ready for Jesus? He is coming back to gather all of His flock one day, are you ready? If not, why not call out to Him right here and right now? He will gladly come to you!

Merry Christmas!