We are in the second week of Advent, our focus turns to faith—trusting
in God’s promises even before we see the full picture. Some traditions call
this the Peace week, and both fit with the story God wrote in Bethlehem on the
night Christ was born.
Bethlehem wasn’t chosen accidentally. Centuries earlier, the
prophet Micah declared:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you shall come forth
for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.
— Micah 5:2, ESV
This small, quiet town—whose name means “House of
Bread”—would become the birthplace of the Bread of Life. Bethlehem reminds us
that God often does His greatest work in the most unexpected places.
Luke 2:9–18 tells us that the first announcement of Jesus’
birth came not to royalty, not to religious leaders, not to the socially
powerful—but to shepherds. These men held the lowest economic position in
society, yet they were deeply familiar with Israel’s hope for a coming Messiah.
In fact, they raised the very sheep used for Temple sacrifices.
On what began as just another quiet night, everything
changed:
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them…
— Luke 2:9, ESV
God broke into their ordinary routine with extraordinary
glory. Heaven opened, and these humble shepherds were the first to hear the
most important news the world has ever known.
Their response was simple and full of faith:
Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened…
— Luke 2:15, ESV
They believed.
They went.
They saw.
They worshiped.
And they told others.
The shepherds remind us that God welcomes the willing, not
the impressive. Their uncomplicated lives left room for revelation. Their
knowledge of sacrifice helped them understand who this Child truly was: the Lamb
of God, come to take away the sin of the world.
Our culture celebrates Christmas with lights, gatherings,
traditions, and special services. These are wonderful gifts—but they aren’t the
heart of Christmas.
It’s possible to know the story of Christmas without
knowing the Savior of Christmas.
Advent whispers to us that the miracle of Christ is not
grasped merely with the mind. It must be received with the heart. The shepherds
didn’t just hear information—they encountered God. And that encounter changed
everything.
The second candle of Advent is traditionally known as the Bethlehem
Candle. It represents:
- Faith
— trusting that God keeps His promises.
- Peace
— the peace the angels proclaimed to the world:
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!
— Luke 2:14, ESV
This candle reminds us that peace isn’t found in perfect
circumstances but in a perfect Savior. Jesus came near so we could know the
peace of God in every season of life.
When the shepherds returned to their fields, nothing looked
different—but they were different:
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for
all they had heard and seen…
— Luke 2:20, ESV
Christmas is not meant for December alone.
It is not a feeling reserved for Christmas Eve.
It is not a tradition squeezed into once-a-year gatherings.
Christmas is meant to live in us every single day.
When we walk closely with Christ, the truth of Christmas
becomes visible in:
- how we
love,
- how we
give,
- how we
worship,
- how we
trust,
- and
how we shine His light in a weary world.
This second week of Advent invites us to pause and ask:
Do I merely know the story of Christmas, or am I living in
the presence of Christ Himself?
May our faith be like the shepherds—simple, sincere, and
ready to respond when God breaks into the ordinary moments of our lives.
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