Where do we meet God?  It may be when we’re on our knees in prayer, but not always.  Sometimes God’s voice comes to us in the most unexpected places.

Think about the shepherds in Bethlehem.  They were hired hands, wandering in the fields to find food and water for the sheep that had been entrusted to them.  Let’s be realistic here, they were rugged, dirty men surviving outdoors for weeks at a time.    (No hot baths out there.)  Survival was not easy and pilfering resources for themselves or their sheep was not uncommon.   To these unlikely folks, an angel of the Lord appeared with a message!    To say that was unexpected is a gross understatement.

Then there were the townspeople of Bethlehem.  They knew nothing of the birth of Jesus, until a message came to them out of the mouths of shepherds!   The message didn’t come from the priest or the synagogue, it came from some grungy shepherds.   Could they believe it?  It was unexpected news from a most unlikely source.

How about us?   If we take the time to listen, we may hear God speaking unexpectedly. A Bible verse map jump off the page, exactly what we needed to hear at that moment.  A friend may call just when we’re feeling down.  A checkout girl at the supermarket may offer a kind word, when we’re tired and disgruntled.  The beauty of a sunset may stop us in our tracks.  God sends messages to help us on our journey.  He brings us good news and it’s awesome news of His unconditional love.  Let’s take time to listen.

Judy