God chose me.

Tonight was the candlelight service at church.
The traditional Christmas Eve:
Get the fam to church, sing some Christmas songs, light a candle, go home.
For me it wasn't so traditional this year.
God really spoke to me.
I believe it had everything to do with me choosing to listen.
Rather than grudgingly singing Christmas songs, I listened to them.
I savored every word.
Let me tell you this:
that's some good stuff.

Pastor Tony then spoke and identified us, as normal people, with the shepherds.
He said that they were outcasts.
They were outsiders and began to act that way by living ungodly lives.
We are the shepherds.
He didn't stop there, leave us feeling gross, and send us home though.
The last time I checked every nativity scene has a couple shepherds hanging around.
They didn't just decide to drop in because they heard a kid crying.
They were chosen.
God shined a light down from heaven and He chose them.
They followed His light and were lead to a King.
I've heard many times that we are like the shepherds blah blah.
But tonight, I listened.

A video was played that showed the journey of Mary & Joseph.
It showed the journey of the wisemen.
It also showed the journey of the shepherds.
That's us.
There was a part in the video where it showed the star shining its light down to the shepherds.
It was simple and powerful.
I am so undeserving.
My Jesus is so great.
All I am is a nasty, gross, disgusting, terrible shepherd.
God said, "I chose you."
I cried.

We are shepherds.
We are gross.
God chose us.
Why wouldn't we make our journey and follow Him?
Would we not want to leave our sheepish baggage for something greater?
I don't understand why we want to hang around in the fields.
God chose us.
We should be more than happy to follow the light God shines for us.
It's a journey for sure.
An adventure.
It'll be hard.
But He'll guide you the entire way.
The end of our journey is the best part.
We meet our King.
Our Lord.
God.
Jesus.
Follow Him now.
God chose you.

Obviously there were candles involved in the "candlelight service"
They were bright.
When all were lit the sanctuary was glowing in a beautiful way and we sang Silent Night.
So many candles.
It was glorious.
Our God is glorious.
We may have thought that our candles were bright but this is where it gets better:
The glory of God shines brighter than 10,000 suns.
Wow.

"And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them." Luke 2:20

Worship Him this Christmas.