“GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST” The angel choir sang in the skies above Bethlehem that very first Christmas night. All of the Shepherds looked on in wonder as they heard from the choir of angels that filled the night sky of the coming of the Messiah, the Christ Child, Jesus who would save his people from their sins.
David watched from the hill not far from the flock and his uncle and dad who were tending the sheep. He had been coming out with his male relatives to learn how to be a shepherd under their care and teaching. They had sent him off to find a lost baby sheep that had wandered off. David knew exactly where the little scoundrel sheep was because he had chased her many times. He had given the sheep a name, Spunky and it had become David’s special pet in all the herd.
As the Angel Choir finished, David heard Spunky baa not far from where he was sitting. Spunky liked a little cove where some sweet herbs grew and only she knew about them. But she must have gotten caught in the brambles. Sure enough, there she was, all caught up and very unhappy.
“Oh Spunky, you get in trouble every time you come up here. What would you do without me?” David said happily, as he helped her get loose and she began to play about his legs and feet.
“Wow, is that a sheep?” David heard the small voice not far off.
“Who’s there?” He said nervously. As he looked around, a child, seemingly a few years younger than him stepped from the shadows. She was dressed all in white. But what really stood out is that she had wings on her back and a ring glowing on her brow, not like a headband, slightly above her brow and her whole gown glowed in the dark. “Who are you?” David said but he found he was not afraid so he approached her.
“Shhhh, I slipped out of the choir. I wanted to see what it was like, you know, here.” She said and she ran to Spunky and started petting her.
“The choir? You mean, in the sky?” David gasped.
“Yes, wasn’t that pretty? I sang a while but I can’t really do much so I slipped out.” She said her angels wings spreading as she played with the lamb.
“Hello, my name is David.” David politely introduced himself. “You’re an angel?” He said and he knelt down and looked at her face.
“Yes, my name is Shauna. You’re a human?” She said and for a moment, they just stared because neither had ever been this close to someone like that. Suddenly David jumped up and laughed.
“Then let’s play!” He declared running to a tree and jumping to the branch for a catapult.
“YAY!” Shauna giggled with delight and before she knew it, her wings carried her to the tree limb and she looked down and teased her new friend from her perch.
“No fair!” he declared but no time to fuss. The new friends, an angel girl and a shepherd boy ran and laughed and played for what seemed like hours in the hills just outside of Bethlehem, not very far from where the Baby Jesus was just born.
David ran ahead followed closely by Spunky and then Shauna who took flight from time to time and then landed running as fast as she could keep up when David splashed into a cold running stream laughing and slinging water back at the lamb and the angel. “Tag” David teased Shauna, “You’re it.”
Shauna was laughing and ducking enjoying every second because so much of this she never experienced in Heaven. Suddenly a sound like a trumpet was heard in the sky not far from where the Angel Choir sang its heavenly songs.
“David, I have to go home now. We all have to back to Heaven now.” Shauna said sadly.
“But I don’t want you to go. You are my friend, can I go with you?” David begged.
“No David. I am an Angel. My job will be to do God’s Will in heaven. I will praise him and help people when He sends me to help them.” She said lifting slightly into the air on her small wings.
“But I like those jobs. Maybe I can be an angel.” David objected.
“You have an even more important job David.” The Angel Child told him. Down in Bethlehem the Christ Child has been born. You must take the news of His salvation to everyone. Go to the valley and see Him David. His name is Jesus and only you, a human boy can tell other human boys and girls about Jesus. So go. I will always be near you because now that we have met, I will be your guardian angel.” And then she mysteriously disappeared.
“How will I know you are near by?” He shouted at the sky.
Just then, a big splash of water flew up from the stream and hit him in the face. He heard her voice near the stream. “Tag.” She said with a giggle. “You’re it.” She said. David laughed and turned and started to run to Bethlehem to see the miracle of the Christ Child, the Miracle of Christmas.
