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The First Christmas
It's cold, I huddle up against a tree, the stars are twinkling, but they don't provide warmth. Not a bit of it. The sheep don't care though, they have their warm coats of fur. I've always wondered how the dessert's temperature could be this odd, during the day it's burning hot, at night it's freezing. I get up and grab my crook, one of the lambs is straying a bit far for comfort. I force my legs to move as I walk over in the direction of the lamb. The other shepherds haven't noticed yet, not even father and he's usually the most observant. I reach the lamb and using my crook to guide it I lead it back to the herd. Then I return to the other shepherds, as I sit and listen to them talk suddenly a bright light spears in the sky, squinting and putting my hand over my eyes I peer up at the sky. I'm trembling, so are the others, who is the figure in the sky,
"Do not be afraid! I bring you good news, today in the town of David a baby has been born, he is Christ the Lord." the figure in the sky says, I think it's an angel. I looked at my father, who looked over joyed.
"The Messiah!" he whispered to me in an excited very badly done whisper. My eyes lit up, the Messiah!! We were saved!
"You will find this baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." the angel continued. I knit my eye brows together, confused. Why? Why was the Messiah lying in a manager? That was where animals ate from! He was a king, He should be born in a palace.
Suddenly more angels appeared and they began to sing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace to men with whom God is pleased. After they sang this they left, probably went back to heaven.
"Let us go and see this thing the Lord has told us about." my father suggests to the other shepherds and me. We all agree enthusiastically, and jump up, the sheep can be left for a while. The Lord had just told us of the coming of the Messiah! We turn and run towards Bethlehem, the town of David as fast as we can. Our sandal turning up dust once we hit the road.
We finally reach an inn and run behind it, I'm not sure why we picked this inn or why we were going behind it, but something seems to be leading father and the rest of us follow. We find a stable and walks in, in the stable was man, a young woman, and a baby in a manager, just like the angel had said. The baby is wrapped in strips of cloth and appears to be sleeping. The mother looks us and puts her finger to her lips, I look at my father, the Messiah was just a baby how would he save us? My father grips my shoulder gently and whispers in my ear,
"He is a child now, but he will grow, he is the Messiah he will us, his people." he tells me, I nod quietly. We all see the baby and then turn to leave, we are bursting with joy and the message we'd been given. We run into the streets excitement making us shout the news of the baby to the world as we run back to the sheep we are grinning and yelling as we ran.
We get back to the sheep, none had left, as I settle down for the night I stare up the stars. First angels, then seeing the Messiah. What a night it had been! I smile as I sat leaning against a tree, watching the sheep.
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