It was the night before Christmas when all through Ed's house, no one was stirring except Ed, and a mouse. No stockings were hung anywhere with care, for Ed was certain Santa wouldn't come there. With children all grown and gone from their beds, no visions of excitement danced in their heads. Ed was all settled down before his TV, with whiskey and remote control by his knees.
Out on the street there arose a loud clatter, the closing of car doors, and Ed rose to see if it mattered. Ed's next door neighbours were home from their church and he turned from the window with a quick lurch. He sat again, paused, and thought with a sigh. He remained sceptical of that Jesus guy. The thought of God, born as a baby, made for a shake of Ed's head. Yet maybe, he reasoned, a baby God was nothing to dread.
With his religious thoughts done, around the TV channels Ed went. On news, Christmas church services, no time was there spent. The usual Christmas movies were totally boring and Ed in his chair was soon fast asleep snoring. And as it was for Ed, so it was, for most others, on the first night before Christmas when the Christ child was born.
On the first night before Christmas, Joseph had gone up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. There was no room in the inn for himself and Mary with him. Mary was expecting a baby. Few knew Mary gave birth to her first born in a stable that night and laid him in a manger.
While most at Bethlehem were completely unaware of Jesus' birth, angels appeared to shepherds living out in fields. The shepherds were told, "Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born, He is Christ the Lord. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. "
As soon as the angels left, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to check out what they had said. At Bethlehem, they found Mary and Joseph and a baby lying in a manger. They returned to their fields glorifying God for all they had heard and seen. How blessed and privileged the shepherds were. They were invited to see the baby lying in a manger, while God left most other people sleeping.
Were the shepherds the first to say as they went home to their fields- "For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love. O morning stars together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King and peace to all on earth!"
