Here is today’s devotion to start your day.
Available now at Power, Love & Miracles:
Saints, Sinners, and Scandals: The Magi– Pagan Prophets and Precious Gifts [PLM+]
A Prophecy that Includes Us: Joel. The Bible Unplugged podcast, episode 64
Sunset’s Dawn, Part 14- Jake talks to Mindy [PLM+]
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Scripture: Luke 2:8-9
“There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock... The angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.’”
Reflection
Heaven didn’t break open over the temple.
It didn’t announce the Messiah’s birth to kings, priests, or scholars. Instead, the angelic choir sang to shepherds—blue-collar laborers pulling the night shift, dirty from the field, forgotten by society.
In first-century Judea, shepherds had little status. They were often considered untrustworthy, ceremonially unclean, and socially invisible. And yet, God chose them to hear the first public birth announcement of the Savior.
Why?
Because the kingdom of God never runs on status. It runs on grace. From the beginning, the gospel was always meant for the lowly, the overlooked, the outcasts. Heaven’s messengers bypassed the palaces and stopped in the pasture.
God honors the humble. He speaks to those who are awake in the night, faithful in their work, and open to wonder. And sometimes, the people who seem the least likely to be chosen are exactly the ones He chooses first.
The shepherds remind us that worthiness is not a prerequisite for revelation. You don’t have to be perfect to hear from God. You just have to pay attention.
And maybe—just maybe—the most beautiful things come when you least expect them, under a sky you thought would stay silent.
Centering Prayer
God of surprising grace,
You send glory to the fields and favor to the forgotten. Let me receive what I could never earn. Speak into the night of my labor, and help me believe that I, too, am chosen to hear Your song. – Amen
Practice for Today
Notice someone today who is often overlooked—at work, in your neighborhood, or even in your home. Speak a word of dignity or blessing to them, as the angels did for the shepherds.
Journaling Prompt
When have I felt undeserving of God’s attention—and how did He surprise me anyway?
Blessing for the Day
Let the voice of God find you in the fields of your labor.
Let His glory interrupt your routine.
Let His favor rest on you—not because you’ve earned it,
But because He delights to choose the ones the world forgets.
Pray As You Go
Breathe in: You came for the least…
Breath out: ... and You see me now