Advent Day 21: Fear Not

To wrap up the last few days of Advent, I will be going through the passage in Luke that tells of the angels’ appearance to the shepherds.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11 ESV)

When the angels appeared to the shepherds, the first thing they said was “fear not.” These words are so familiar to me that they have lost their significance. However, there must be a good reason for the angels to reassure the shepherds upon their appearance. Imagine if heavenly creatures suddenly appeared out of nowhere as you were going about your daily routine.

Although we do not see the heavenly realm, we should seriously consider the shepherds’ response of fear. Knowing that God, who is more powerful than any created thing or person, is alive and actively working all around us, we should have within us a healthy respect and reverence for God’s greatness.

And just as the angels told the shepherds not to fear, God also says to those who hear the gospel, “do not fear, for I bring you good news…”