There’s a popular Christmas Carole that rings throughout my ears all year. In fact, it is the basis for my blog, ministry, goal, and passion for others. You may be familiar with it, it is the song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” by Noël Regney.
It is a song of a shepherd boy in the field that encountered the angels announcing the birth of Jesus. The lamb saw the star in the sky, and heard the angels singing. It is assumed the shepherd boy heard and saw because he goes to the king to present a question. Did the king know what the shepherd boy knew? If so, they were to bring Him gifts.
When God makes himself known you can’t help but see, hear, and tell. To keep quiet would be to combust from the inside out. The song begins with the night wind talking to the little lamb. Could that be the lamb the shepherds were guarding? Telling them the shepherds will be leaving in a few minutes to see the baby Jesus, telling them they will be left alone but do not fear for God will shepherd them until they return, or telling them of the birth first before the angel appeared to the shepherds? Because the night wind saw a star dancing in the night! It must have been the star the wise men saw! After all as the song goes the tail was as big as a kite! The star located in the East was seen from afar as noted in the Book of Matthew.
“We saw his star in the east.” Mt. 2:2
I wonder if it was before the angel appeared to the shepherd boy the lamb asked, “Do you hear what I hear?” (Regney) I picture the angel of the LORD approaching because the sky was ringing, high above the trees, the angel’s light shone brightly and the voice was as big as the sea, as it proclaimed the Messiah has arrived in Bethlehem! (Lk. 2:8-14)
“an angel of the LORD appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.'” Lk. 2:9-10 NLT
And as the shepherd boy made his way to the manger where the baby lie, I wonder if he echoed, and shouted, the words of the prophet Isaiah from centuries earlier
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s armies will make this happen!” Isa. 9:6-7 NLT.
God said it, and did it!
And as the boy runs swiftly, leaving his breath behind him, rapidly moving toward the future of the world that lay wrapped in swaddling cloths, snuggled in the hay, heavn’ and nature sing in the night sky – do you hear what I hear?
“The Child, the Child sleeping in the night. He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light.” Noël Regney.
Do you hear what I hear? Do you see what I see?
©Gentle Whisper Ministries 2014, re-post Dec 2016
*picture by philliplight, soul-reach
