Up the Sunbeam

-- The deep, inky blue of the shepherds’ sky was awash in waves rolling in on heaven's tide. Not waves made of water, nothing anyone could see, but something was coming, something profound was about to happen. As the shepherds kept uneasy watch, the round soft shapes of the sheep showed pale in the starlight as they munched their way contentedly across the grassy hills that rolled below. The shepherds knew nothing of the coming hosts, the angels who were riding the tide, riding to greet them, riding the billows of history to make an announcement that would change everything. No wonder then that the angel appointed to speak to them had to start where all angels start when they bring a message from God to the earth, "Fear not." "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."   Luke 2:10 KJV Standing astride the sky-waves, just like the One  he came to herald would on...

--   In his Gospel, Dr. Luke tells the story of two of Jesus' disciples walking from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. It was a 7-mile walk over hilly, sometimes steep, rocky terrain traversing a road subject to the dangers of robbers and thieves. They had timed their trip to have them at their destination while it was still daylight and just in time to be home for supper. It was Sunday afternoon, a mere 48 hours or so since they had seen their world come to a devastating end. Their beloved Jesus, the One they believed was their long-awaited Messiah, had been crucified and buried in a tomb. With Him was buried everything they had believed was true. They had heard that some of the women had seen Jesus alive that morning, but it all seemed like a cruel joke, or the imaginations of minds overcome with grief. As they walked together, they talked and reflected and wrestled with the implications of their loss. Somewhere along the way another man came and joined them as they walk...