Surprise!

I read from Ezekiel today -- not the typical Christmas reading I suppose. The portion I read was about the shepherds of Israel -- the priests and leaders -- and how they were dropping the ball in terms of caring for the flock. They were using them, making a living off of them, feeding and clothing themselves by them, and essentially not doing their jobs when it comes to loving others as God desires them to. Interesting to me when the prophet uses this imagery, especially in light of the role the shepherds (the real, sheep tending kind) play in the Christmas story. I have to say, that is one of my favorite details about the whole thing...

We had a great talk in Sunday school about the way God did the whole incarnation deal. The scriptures record the first audience to see the Baby as the shepherds. They were outcasts, unclean, the lowest of the low. And the angels sang to them first -- the Bible says 'the glory of the Lord shone around them'. That's a big deal, because up to this point not many common folk had seen this glory. It was said to have dwelt in the temple and was only seen by the priests. But to share this gift with the world, God chose these guys first -- who gave up their reputations, church membership, and lives to take care of the sheep of the field. Talk about irony! Instead of revealling the Savior to the guys who were expecting the gift, God chose the everyman, the low, to show Himself to first. I like that...

So for today -- where has God shown up that you didn't expect Him to? What unorthodox avenues has He chosen to remind you of the Gift lately? What about your kids? Where have they seen God that they didn't expect to find Him?

Read: Ezekiel 34:1-10