An Unexpected Invitation

When a royal child is born, it's a time of great celebration. And it certainly was that when Prince William, the current heir to the British throne, was born on the 21st of June 1982. So, who do you imagine might have been the first people to visit him? Well, it doesn't take a lot of imagining, does it? The then Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh; other Royal family members; close friends … all in the comfort of a palace. Which is entirely what you'd expect for the future heir to the throne. So, who was it then who first visited the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, when He was born, hmm? Luke 2:8-12 That night, some shepherds were out in the fields near Bethlehem watching their sheep. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining around them. The shepherds were very afraid. The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid. I have some very good news for you—news that will make everyone happy. Today your Savior was born in David's town. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box." The birth announcement was given to outcasts, not elites. God chose shepherds – lowly, often despised members of society – to receive the angelic birth announcement, not kings or priests. And they were, indeed, the first ones to visit Jesus. Please, don't ever think you're not good enough for Him. Jesus. He came for you. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.