Who’s Watching O’er the Sheep?

A group of shepherds left their flock to follow an angelic announcement of “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Among the well-known details, my question is: who kept the sheep? The shepherds left “with haste” for “the city of David”. Sheep lost ground on the shepherd’s priority list, when Jesus was born. Great events put routine into perspective. Nevertheless, the sheep could not care for themselves. Someone had to remain in the fields. Who decided which shepherds got to go to Bethlehem and which had to stay with the sheep? What a time to be a left-behind shepherd! Putting God first does not mean that second and third place items on the list suffer. No doubt God blessed the shepherds who went to the manger, however many of them there were (the Bible doesn’t give a number, but Hallmark says three). But consider the blessing of those who remained with the sheep. Where they left out of God’s blessing? I doubt it. It reminds me of a line from John Milton: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” What is your service for the Messiah this Christmas week?

Join me this week in remembering these global concerns:
• Missionaries who are a long way from home and family on Christmas.
• Military who are likewise away from home during this Christmas season.
• Bible Seminary in Bonn, Germany has more than 200 students, the largest enrollment in the school’s history. This creates a need for funds to build additional class space.
• A team of five national translators in south Asia have been asked to leave their rental house because they look “threatening.” Pray that they will be encouraged and that they will be able to find housing.
• Pray for missionaries in Cambodia as Christmas is the easiest time for doing evangelism in that country.