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Baby, It's Cold Outside

Posted by Children's Ministry on with 5 Comments

I am sitting at my desk in the early morning hours before anyone arrives and some might say it’s a little chilly. According to my car’s thermostat it was 43 degrees outside. I personally call that freezing. I understand that water freezes at 32 degrees.  However, I disagree with that number. You see my bones start the freezing process around 68 degrees. I really dislike being cold. Right now at my desk it’s about 68 degrees. I had to turn the heat on but it’s a slow process to bring the temperature up when it’s still so cold outside. So that’s why I am currently sitting here drinking hot tea wearing a pea coat on top of my long sleeved shirt and jeans (I may or may not have leg warmers on under the jeans). Oh yes the piece de resistance, a long white cable knit sweater is draped over my head and neck which kind of makes me look a little like Linus from Peanuts as he played a shepherd.

So my mind starts to wander back to a time and place where the heating system that blasted in my car on the way here was not an option. A time when Shepherds stayed out all night watching their sheep and FREEZING! I would have been the worst shepherd. No gloves, no cozy down comforter to snuggle under. Just a bunch of stinky sheep and the cold night that surround them filled with all kinds of carnivorous animas waiting in the shadows. Scared, stinky and cold is how I imagine the life of the shepherds that were tending their flocks on that normal December night so many years ago.

Then in an instant all of that changed. The heavens opened up and there was an Angel talking to them! Saying,

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and laying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

I am pretty sure that if an angel popped into my office out of nowhere and told me a Savior had been born nearby and I needed to go check it out, I would forget very quickly how cold and scared I was and I would run to the place they told me to go.

While I most likely won’t get to see a heavenly host of angels singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”(Luke 2:14) I do get to hear the good news of Jesus' birth.  Something not everyone one gets to hear. It was an honor for those shepherds to hear this news first. God didn’t care if they were dirty or stinky or scared. He didn’t care that they were sinners or lowly shepherds. They got to meet his son and then told everyone they could find the good news they had heard.

As we go about the holiday hustle and bustle and then move in to the New Year let’s try to be like those lucky shepherds to everyone we meet and share the good news we are blessed to know. Let’s forget our problems, let us put aside the scary things waiting just outside of our humble lives and let’s tell it on our mountains- may they be grocery stores, missions, homeless shelters or soccer fields, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

Nikki Wheatley
Elementary Ministries Director

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Comments

Susan Mitchell December 28, 2015 5:24pm

What a blessing, Nikki! That was so beautiful and uplifting. It warmed my soul on this chilly day ❤️

Teri Wire December 28, 2015 6:16pm

That was awesome!! Made me laugh at the thought of that sweater wrapped around your head.....and fed my soul all at the same time :) xoxo

Mr Bob December 29, 2015 8:23pm

Being that it was a clear night so that the shepherds in the field could see the Star of Bethlehem it added to the chill. FYI this year it was about 40 degrees Christmas Eve.

X Dr D, U know December 29, 2015 9:06pm

How can someone with a huge warm heart get sooo cold? Thank you for your clever reminder to "Tell the Story" In Jesus' love

Lindsay Hausch December 29, 2015 10:45pm

So many talented writers in children's ministry! A very sweet and authentic tribute to to the shepherds, to Linus, and most of all our Savior. ❤️