ADVENT WITH CHILDREN by Candice Duffy

Day 18

The Angels Sang

 

Luke 2:8-20 tells us that Angels were the first to announce that Jesus had been born. Scripture says an angel appeared, telling the shepherds to not be afraid.  Can you imagine being in a dark field when all of a sudden "the radiance of God's glory surrounds you?" God's word says the shepherds were "terrified."  It definitely wasn't something the shepherds had ever experienced. After the angel assured them they were safe, he told them exactly who had been born and how to find him. Then scripture says "the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those whom God is pleased." My children talked about what it must have been like to be a shepherd that night. An ARMY of angels?? That is A LOT of angels!! We wondered what the glory of God looked like. Was it so bright the shepherds had to turn away? Or did they stand there in a trance, unable to take their eyes off the angels? We talked about one day being able to hear an angel choir in heaven and how it must be the most beautiful sound. I encouraged them to sing their own praises. God is worthy of our songs, too. So, today we sing, excited that God loves us, so much so that he sent his only Son to live among us. We also sing because we are thankful that just as he surrounded the shepherds with his glory, he can surround us, too.  Today we made a (small) host of angels. Eli hung them at the very tip top of our garland :)