HOPE IN A MANGER

“Abba, I am cold” whispered Adin as he pulled himself closer to his father. 

“It has been a busy day son. The fire will warm us up” said his father as he put another blanket over Adin. 

They were sitting around the fire with other shepherds watching the flocks and listening to stories from long ago. Adin treasured these moments when he could join his father in the fields. This time around was even more special, he got to spend the night! He loved these moments, when he could forget about his troubles and feel like he belonged. It felt good to be away from all the noise of the city. Jerusalem and the neighboring towns were bursting with people. Since the decree from Caesar Augustus that everyone needed to be registered, the towns were flooded by a sea of people. Adin appreciated his father taking him along. He will not miss his spot by the Beautiful Gate.

Baruch, the head shepherd was telling the story of Moses and the promise that another will come, greater than Moses who will redeem the people of Israel. Oh, how they were waiting for this Messiah! The weight of the Roman rule was getting heavier and heavier.

Baruch was a very good story teller and Adin’s imagination did not need too much prompting to take flight. He could see himself sitting around the table eating the passover lamb and hearing the distant cries of the Egyptians who lost their first born that night. He could feel the erines of the night, knowing that the Lord was passing by bringing vengeance on the Egyptians. Knowing that he was safe inside their small house because of the blood of the lamb his father put on the doorposts. 

Now he was standing before the Red Sea with the Egyptian army closing in. He can see the Angel of God who was in the cloud that guided the people, move from before the people and stand behind them between the Egyptian army and the people of Israel. The cloud was complete darkness on one side and gave light by night on the other side. He was afraid, he felt trapped. He could hear Moses’s voice telling the people not to be afraid. To be still and see how the Lord will fight for them. A strong wind started blowing and he heard Moses’s voice instructing the people to get ready to move. Where will they go? Everyone was looking towards the sea. Adin has never seen such a sight. The sea was split in two! Walls of water on each side, and a dry path in the middle. Adin passed through the Red Sea with his family. When he got to the other side and turned around he saw the sea swallowing up the Egyptian army who was advancing toward them. 

“What a mighty God we serve!” thought Adin. This was the best night of his life. He could not imagine anything better than this. 

Soothed by Baruch’s deep and steady voice Adin found his eyelids getting heavy. He snuggled closer to his father and laid his head on his father’s lap. Something caught his eye right before falling asleep. There in the distance sky! A light, getting brighter, getting closer! 

“Abba! Look!” said Adin pointing to the sky. The excitement in his voice caused the rest of the shepherds to look towards the sky. The bright light was now standing before them. What could it be? They were all greatly afraid. They were bathed in light and in front of them stood the most beautiful being they ever saw. An angel, thought Adin, trembling. He wished he could stand, he wished he could kneel, but he was frozen. 

“Do not be afraid.” said the angel. “For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you. You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 

As soon as he finished speaking, he was joined by a multitude of angels singing the most beautiful song Adin has ever heard. 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

 The earth was shaking at the sound of their voices and it seemed like everything in him was praising the Lord. It seemed like all creation was celebrating along with the heavenly hosts. 

The men remained frozen in place long after the angels were gone, mesmerized by the beauty of what they just witnessed. 

“Abba, can we go? Can we go see the Babe?”

“What? What are you saying child?”

“Yes! Let us all go. Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” said Baruch. 

“Calev, bring a perfect lamb with us. It will be our gift to the Babe.” 

As Calev chose a perfect lamb, Jared, Adin’s father scooped him up and placed him on his shoulders. The men were excited and humbled at the same time. How is it that the God of all creation chose to announce the birth of the Savior to a group of lowly shepherds? How is it that they were directed to go and see the savior? Their excitement caused them to walk faster and faster! 

“How will we know which stable it is, Abba?”

“The Lord will show us son. Keep your eyes fixed on Bethlehem. Tell us what you see from up there.” 

Adin could not contain his excitement. This has proven to be the best night of his life. Will he really meet the Savior? Did this day really come? Wasn’t Baruch talking about the coming of the Savior when the angel appeared? There was so much to process. 

“I see something Abba! There is a bright light coming from one of the stables in town!” 

“Let’s hurry men!” said Baruch. 

When the shepherds reached the stable they were out of breath. They took a moment to catch their breath and compose themselves. The stable was engulfed in a bright light, similar to the one they saw on the field. 

With shy, small, quiet steps they entered the stable. Adin could not believe his eyes. There in the stable, just as the angel said, they found a Babe wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger. Overcome by the greatest sense of peace and reverence, the shepherds knelt before the Babe and bowed down to the ground. For a moment no one knew what to say, or if they should even speak at all. 

“Welcome! Please rise.” said the father of the Babe. 

“Shalom! My name is Baruch, the head shepherd and these are my fellow shepherds. Please accept our small gift offering for the Babe.” 

With shy steps and eyes wide of excitement Calev presented the young lamb to the parents of the Babe. 

“I am Joseph and this is Mary” said the father of the Babe as he accepted the gift.

“We were out in the field keeping watch over the sheep when the sky filled with light and there before us stood a messenger from God. He told us to not be afraid, that he brings us good tidings of great joy. He said that in the city of David, a Savior was born, who is Christ the Lord. He said that we will find the Babe wrapped in swaddling cloth, lying in a manger. As soon as he finished speaking a multitude of heavenly hosts filled the sky and began to sing the most beautiful song we ever heard. They sang; 

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” When we saw them no more, we decided to come and see that which the angels announced.”

“May the Lord be praised,” said Josif. “ For He announces the birth of Christ the Lord, His Son, to the lowliest of His people. Blessed are you among the people.”

“If I may ask, how is it that the Messiah has been born in a stable?” asked Jared. 

“Mary and I reside in the city of Nazareth, but we have come to Bethlehem to register. We have traveled long and slow since Mary was with child. When we arrived, all the inns were full and we needed a place to stay since the time has come for Mary to deliver the Baby. The owner of this inn has been kind enough to give us this stable with fresh straw. I built this manger to place the Child in it and the animals are keeping us warm. I sense they also know the magnitude of what has happened on this night.”  

The shepherds stayed a little while longer listening to Mary and Joseph’s stories, how the angel Gabriel greeted Mary and told her that she had been chosen to bring the Messiah into the world. They listen to the story of Joseph, how the angel showed him in a dream that he is to take Mary as his wife and be the earthly father to the Messiah, and they shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over Israel forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. 

They all marveled at God’s amazing plan to reveal Himself to the lowliest of people. To choose to enter this world in the most humble way possible. Filled with joy and gratitude, the shepherds could not contain themselves on their way back to the fields, they knocked on doors to share the good news and told everyone they met of what had happened that night. Of the angel, of the choir, and most importantly the Babe in the manger who is Christ the Savior. Everyone who heard their stories marveled at what they were hearing. 

“Abba? How would our lives be different now that the Messiah has come?” asked Adin.

“My son, the prophet Isaiah tells us that “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”’ 

“Do you believe He will bring peace to Israel?”

“I believe my son, I believe. Peace not just for Israel, but for all people.” 

“Prophet Isaiah also tells us that the Messiah will bring hope to the people of Israel. He will open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. He will make the lame leap like a deer and of those who cannot speak He will make them sing.”

“Abba?” whispered Adin, almost afraid to ask. “Do you believe He can make me walk?”

“Do you believe my son?”

“ I believe.” 

Adin’s heart was full of hope. 

© Laura Salanta