He lifted his hand up off the reigns and stretched his arm out towards the sun almost exactly ahead of him. 

With the width of his palm, he measured the distance the sun still had to travel down to the tops of the hills.  Just one finger width, just about enough time to travel one Roman mile.  From their calculations they still have many more miles to cover.  As the sun dipped yet again towards the sandy horizon, almost instantly the whole sky exploded in fire.  Reds, orange, yellows and the brightest pinks.  Deep purples outlining the clouds which were the purest white only a short while ago.  Long shadows streaking across the bright sand with each ridge highlighted by the low angle of the departing sun.  The ridges mirroring the lines of calculations in their scrolls, tucked safely in their saddle bags.

He looked over at his companions, and without the need to speak; for they had been travelling together for some months, they agreed to keep going until the star which they could already see, even through the sunset’s glow, could be measured against the lesser stars in the night sky.  An hour later, as the sky deepened and its mysterious cloak became more visible, with its infinite pinpricks of light, the direction was unmistakable.  But even if they travelled all night at a gallop they still would have at least the waxing and the waning of another moon to cover, before they would arrive.  He took a deep breath; he would have to hold in his excitement for a while longer.

Many miles due west of the travellers, where a group of sheep were gathered together for warmth with a light mist rising from them as they huddled half a stone’s throw from the fire, a couple of shepherds were amusing themselves in their boredom.

Joel was looking up at the stars, imagining soldiers in the sky and trying to remember the names the old man Naggai gave the brighter groups, whilst cupping his hands over his mouth.  Trying to hold his breath, so it wouldn’t form clouds above them and block their view of the stars.  But he had just blown out a long puff and was watching it swirl up into the darkness towards a cluster of flickering stars, when he thought he imagined a figure floating down from above.  Suddenly the darkness retreated like it does when a dry pine branch is thrown on the fire and instantly bursts into flame. 

The sky grew brighter and brighter and immediately, imperceptibly there was a figure standing right in front of them.  Joel and Amos froze to the spot, all warmth of the fire forgotten, with their eyes fixed on the powerful man.

The angel opened out his hands in a gesture of peace and said ‘Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy, for you and for everyone!’  ‘Go into the village and you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a food trough.  This baby is the Christ, the one everyone was waiting for.’  And then with a rush of sound, a whole group appeared behind him, singing in the most beautiful voices the shepherds had ever heard, like a hundred larks all at once; singing praises to God. 

Without even a thought for the sheep, somehow knowing they would be safe on this miraculous night, and with an energy and an urgency that seemed to propel them forward, they ran into the village.  And there, just as the Angel had said, was this little baby, his skin still with the bright pink, almost purple, tone of a newborn just delivered.  He was wrapped up in tattered cloths and lying in a feed trough just as the angels had said.  The mother was stroking his head, and the father was ripping up strips of his shirt to keep the baby warm. 

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests. Luke 2:14

The Wise men from the East and the poor uncultured shepherds from the hills around about, God called everyone to witness the birth of Jesus.

From friend to stranger, to every corner of the world, every people every nation, in fact for all of creation.

God came down and was born in that cold stable, as a vulnerable child, brought into the world the same way we all were, the same flesh and blood as us, to grow up and mature, make friends and learn.

But with one obvious and important difference – Jesus was pure, perfect, unsullied by the fall of man, he would live and teach and then die for us restoring creation and defeating all evil that ever was, before, during and after his birth. 

A wonderful moment, and a wonderful day for all of the world, for all of time.