9th December

Written by Sue Daber

While Shepherds Watched

‘All glory be to God on High, and on the earth be peace.’

I love walking in the countryside, ‘being in nature’. Perhaps it is the antidote to working in the NHS in a hot environment with artificial light for so many years, an escape!

Thinking about shepherds in Biblical times they were considered to be of low social standing. However, shepherds were the first to hear of the Messiahs birth 'an Angel of the Lord appeared and glory shone around'. The carol was thought to be written in the late 17th Century by Irish hymn writer & poet laureate Nathan Tate and set to Winchester Old and other tunes.

Around this time also Handel was composing his oratorio the Messiah, 'All we like sheep'. How different is shepherding now, ‘One man and his dog’, or quad bikes used to gather the flock.

Back to the countryside, how many different varieties of sheep do you recognise? Jacob's sheep multi horned, Shetland from the Isle or Herdwicks from the Lake District.

Enjoying the countryside - the views, the air we breathe especially in the mountains. We don’t often see really dark skies, because of light pollution. However, in a really dark space we can see stars, planets, meteors, the full moon and even the Aurora Borealis. In the night sky for the shepherds how frightening was the bright light of the host of angels announcing the arrival of the Messiah?

The atmosphere and elements of the sun and its warmth, the wind a gentle breeze or a stronger gale, the rain fine drizzle or mizzle or heavier rain, we feel it all. Do we appreciate the shapes in the clouds, views from the hills and mountains, and hear the waterfalls, the rushing streams or babbling brooks and do we notice the changing seasons throughout the year?

Walking is good, an escape from the rush and bustle of life, alone, or being with people, discussing, talking or just listening. There can be a great sense of achievement and wellbeing.

God’s creation, & I wonder at it all. The Lord is my shepherd and we are his sheep he cares for each and every one of us.