Something that is fascinating about the account of the first Christmas, is just the sheer amount of spiritual activity that is going on at the time.

Now, if Jesus really is God come to earth as a Man, then the fact that there’s a bunch of appearances from other celestial beings around the time of his birth, actually makes complete logical sense.

Take for example the number of appearances of angels who show up both in the conscious world and in the world of dreams around this time. Sometimes it’s an individual angel. At other times it’s a full flash mob, like it was for the shepherds:

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

Now this may seem like a non-point, but I don’t think it is in reality. If you stop for a moment to think about it, you realise that God didn’t have to send his angels.

(I’m hearing a U2 song in my mind as I write that)

He really didn’t. Jesus could have just turned up. I mean, sure, Mary and Joseph would have been super confused about what was going on – Mary especially.

Then following this, Joseph didn’t have to receive dreams in which angels told him what to do. Sure, again, Jesus wouldn’t have lasted very long on earth before returning to heaven.

But God is not compelled to do this.

Or is he?

He made a promise, didn’t he? Well then, he’s going to keep it.

He promised to bring a rescuer and a ruler into the world. The rescuer’s star has appeared in the east and people have recognised him as the king of the Jews, even though they aren’t even Jews.

This promise is a big deal. God will do whatever he has to, to make sure it comes to pass. If that means he’s got to get his angels to pop up here and there, well, fine then. He’ll do what needs to be done.

God is fully invested in his promise. Nothing will go awry. He’ll make sure of it.

Not only that, but God also seems to like to make sure people are aware of it.

He didn’t have to put a star in the east. He didn’t have to send a choir of angels.

Or did he?

What good is a rescuer if no one knows about him?

Cue the angel flash mob. Let the shepherds be told. No one can ‘follow the star’ if they don’t know he exists.

Have you started following Jesus? Are you interested in knowing more? Perhaps Christmas is the perfect time to look into it further by visiting a church’s carol service or similar.

You can’t really follow the star if you’re not sure what it’s all about in the first place.

There are plenty of Christians happy to talk about Jesus all year round, but at Christmas time, there are plenty of activities that make it easy to drop into church events and start seeking out more.

There might even be an angel flash mob there.

So, like the shepherds, why not ‘hurry off’ and ‘find Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.’

It’s the perfect time to come along.

Yours always keen for some carolling,

Alison