Here Day 1 Angels

Luke 2:8-14
Genesis 2:1-4
Colossians 1:15-20

Here, Day 1

The sky around me feels soft; deep indigo is punctuated only by the pale, piercing light of the stars above. Below the expanse of the heavens, the earth unfolds in rolling green hills and valleys. The air feels charged, as though something living might actually form out of the very energy that fills it and step out into the sky with us.

All creation feels the weight of His glory. 

I peer into the darkness, determined to take in every nuance of the moment. We have waited for this day, this very night, for so long. No matter which direction I look, for as far as I can see, stretch the heavenly hosts. The radiant army would be impossible to number. Each one practically hums with joy as they brim with effervescent excitement.

“Holy, holy, holy.” The words, unbidden, spill over my lips like rays of light and catch fire across the sky as countless others join in; our worshipful expression one of ethereal light and sound never before seen or heard by the eyes and ears of man. Even now, as colors spark and flash across the expanse of night in an invisible, iridescent display, our whisper-song of worship fills the air and builds to a roar in perfect silence.

Emmanuel is here. 

My thoughts shift as I remember all that has led to this moment, to this night. With perfect clarity I recall the Beginning and every moment following, a succession of clear glimpses into the story He’s been writing all along.

The Garden.
The rapt anticipation as we watched Him model clay into His own image. Our breathless expectancy as we watched Him breathe His own breath into that first Adam. And the glorious joy in knowing that the first Adam would pave the way for the second Adam, the One we are here to herald tonight. Holy, holy, holy. The memory of Adam, and his Eve, knit together in intimate relationship with their Father, just as He designed. Walking and talking in the Garden. No barrier between the Creator and His beloved creation.

The Fall.
Our silent grief as we watched our fallen brother Lucifer weave his lie, and mankind chose to sacrifice their perfect relationship with Creator God in a quest for knowledge…knowledge that brought them only separation and death. The tears they both cried as they left the perfect home He made for them. And our silent joy in the knowledge that their fall would pave the way for their Saviour. Holy, holy, holy.

The Flood.
The amazement and horror that unfolded as mankind continued to do whatever they wanted, forsaking the living God, their Creator. Our joy at the way Noah and his family chose obedience and preserved the creatures the Lord God commanded. The marvel at His promise never to flood the whole earth again, His power to fulfill it, and the colorful glimpse of celestial glory He shared as a promise to Noah. Holy, holy, holy.

The First Miracle Birth.
The utter joy when God told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son, and that Abraham would be the father of many nations. Our sorrow when Sarah and Abraham took matters into their own hands, and the far-reaching ramifications of that choice. And then, the thrill when Sarah gave birth to Isaac. So many years ago, but it feels like only an instant. The joys of that day were mere shadows of the joy we feel on this night of the second miracle birth! Holy, holy, holy!

The Wilderness.
Our awe as we witnessed His unfailing kindness when He delivered His people from the pharoah and led them through the wilderness. His constant provision, even through their complaining and disobedience. The Ten Commandments and laws He delivered through Moses. And the sheer excitement we felt at this clear acknowledgement that He knew His people would never be able to save themselves…He wanted them to know they needed a Saviour. Holy, holy, holy.

My thoughts begin to spin faster, and I feel the tension of my comrades intensify. It is almost time.

The Twelve Tribes.
The Promised Land.
Joshua. The Judges.
Samson. King Saul.

Each piece, each person, an inextricable thread of the whole tapestry woven intricately together by the Master Storyteller. Our Creator God. The King of Kings. Holy, holy, holy.

The Shepherd Boy-King, David. The man after God’s own heart. No one could call him sinless, but oh, how he pursued his Father, his Lord. How he worshipped, with wild abandon. Even when he fell, he stood, turned and repented, and pursued again. The way he pursued God relentlessly reminded us of the way the Lord of heaven’s armies pursues His own people. Holy, holy, holy.

Solomon. Elijah. The Prophets. Esther. 

A stray bleat echoes in the valley far below, and I turn to survey what lies before me. Dozens of sheep dot the hillside. Their shepherds are in various forms of repose. Some are sitting near a small fire; others stand around the edges of the flock. Shepherds, I grin. How fitting.

Through the silence, a single trumpet sounds in the heavenlies, unheard by the shepherds and flock below. My comrades immediately turn to me, and the sky seems to ripple with their movement. It is time!

I drop closer to the nearest cluster of shepherds, step through the celestial fabric which shielded me from their vision, and stand still to allow their eyes to adjust. The glory of the Lord shines all around each of them in a radiant display of color and light, and a few of them shout and gasp at the sight.

The words burst forth from the very center of my being. “Fear not! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people! For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

This. This is what I was made for. Glory to God, all creation bows to You, Lord of hosts! Holy, holy, holy! 

I raise my arms in an act of worship, and at once the fabric of the skies parts, revealing the legions of heavenly hosts. Their radiance shimmers and reflects in the wide eyes of the shepherds before me. The nearby sheep appear to be a brilliant white in the light emanating from the night sky as angelic voices ring out in worship and in song.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.”

Holy, holy, holy.

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