Keeping Watch

It's hard to find a shepherd these days who keeps any watch over his flock at all, let alone when things get dark and confusing.
Well, that's nothing new.
Jesus bashed the professional clerics for not shepherding.
But they hadn't from the beginning.
Most still don't.
But I should take the log out of my own eye.
Not attending faithfully to my own duties is my priority problem.

When the angels graced those men with stellar songs, they were honoring faithful, hopeful examples of patient diligence.
That's a story we've read before:

• Moses tends the sheep when the angel's flaming light bursts in front of him.
• David is keeping the family flock safe when he is surprised by the prophet's blessing and promise.

The particular theme is how God faithfully comes to good shepherds.
He reassures them with His promise to fulfill their hearts' desire.
What do they long for?
To know and feel and live surrounded by God's being and glory in heaven and earth.
And He repeats the sounding joy that promises just that.

And He has not stopped visiting and comforting and promising us peace as we keep faithful to this hope.