Daniel’s Story
God’s Gift as
seen through the eyes of a shepherd
This story is
fictitious. The
characters are made up but the major events took place in the
locations depicted.
I hope it helps you to see what a great treasure God has given
us when He sent Jesus to die for us.
“
Tell me the
story again, Daddy.”
“Daniel, you
know this story better than I do!
I tell it to you almost every night!”
“Yes, but this
is the anniversary of when it all happened and so the story is
special tonight. So,
please tell it to me again!
Please, Daddy, please.
Daniel and his
father were out in the country with their flock of sheep.
They had to stay out at night because it was too far to
bring their flock in each night.
They brought their flock together with several of their
neighbors at night so that one shepherd could keep guard over
the combined flock to allow the others to catch some sleep.
It also gave a chance for Daniel to spend time with his
father. As they lay
just outside their tent they could see the stars through the
clear night air.
Daniel felt he could reach out and touch them.
He loved this time of day.
He got to see all the beauty of Jehovah’s creation, to
listen to the night noises.
Once he heard a lion roaring in the night but he was not
afraid because his father was there.
It was nice to know that there was someone big and strong
near when bad things were around.
“Alright, one
more time! It
happened when I was a boy about your age.” Daniel’s father said
to his 6-year old son.
“I think it was right around here somewhere.
My father, your grandpa, was telling me about our father
Abraham leaving his home because God told him to do go to the
land that God would show him.
Just as he got to the part of the story where father
Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Mount Mariah
when I noticed a star moving across the sky.
I saw it first and said, ‘Look, look at that star!’
We had seen plenty of shooting stars before but that one
was different. It
was moving from the east toward the west and it was coming right
for us, but it was traveling very slowly.
My father and our neighbors all wondered what it could
be. It passed right
overhead and moved on toward Bethlehem.
When it got right over the top of Bethlehem it stopped.
We had never seen a star travel so slowly and we had
certainly never seen a shooting star stop but keep on shining.
We were all
talking about it when all of a sudden a bright light shone
around us. It was so
bright and came so suddenly that it hurt our eyes.
We used our hands to
cover our eyes and fell down on the ground to hide our faces in
the ground. We were
all so afraid. My
body was shaking with fear even though your grandpa was right
there to protect me!
All of a sudden an angel appeared in the sky and said, “Don’t be
afraid because I bring you joyous, wonderful news for you and
for mankind.
Tonight, over in Bethlehem, a little Baby has been born.
He is Christ the Lord, the Savior of the world.
If you go to Bethlehem you will find the Baby swaddled in
cloths and He will be lying in a manger.”
Then, son, all at once there was a great host of Angels
and Heavenly Beings singing and worshiping Jehovah.
Oh, son, it was the most beautiful thing I have ever
heard and even though it is many years later, I can still hear
that beautiful sound.
Then, suddenly, it was all over.
We were all sorry that the window into heaven closed and
we could no longer hear the worshipping.
Then we realized that we had been worshipping too.
Our hearts were so filled with joy and awe.
Son, I wish that I could explain the feeling I had.
We all had it and we each had a thought about what had
happened, but all the descriptions, including mine, did not
match what had really happened.
It was wonderful!
After the Angels
were gone we talked among ourselves and determined to go to
Bethlehem and see the Baby.
Somehow we knew our flocks would be alright so we walked
the few miles into Bethlehem.
We weren’t expecting what we found.
Behind the Inn we found a hovel.
Inside were a cow, two goats and some chicken and doves
up in the beams.
Several donkeys stood outside looking into the hovel.
Lying on the hay there was a beautiful young girl with a
newborn Baby nursing at her breast.
She had the most serene smile I have ever seen.
The Baby didn’t look any different than any other newborn
but there was something about that Child that commanded our
attention. The
father came out and talked to us.
He told us about how an Angel had come to him in a dream
and told him that the girl he was going to marry was pregnant by
the Spirit of God.
It was a little hard to understand, but the father, whose name
was Joseph, explained it clearly and in such a convincing way
that we all understood that the woman was a virgin and had given
birth to the Son of God.
It was incredible.
When we understood that the Baby was the Son of Jehovah
we all bowed down and worshipped Him.
Early the next
morning we went back to our flocks and we rejoiced all the way.
That joyous feeling seemed to stay with us and, at least
for me, still remains.
Maybe that’s why you like the story so much, my son!”
“That’s part of
the reason, Daddy, but it’s just a wonderful story.
I especially like to hear about the little Baby.
Have you and grandpa talked about it a lot since?”
“Nearly every
day, Daniel, nearly every day,” Daniel’s father said with a
thoughtful, faraway look on his face.
“But that wasn’t
the only time you saw that little Baby was it, Daddy?” Daniel
asked.
“Well, I never
saw the Baby again, but I did see the Man once He had grown up,
son. You know that.
I’ve told you often enough.
I saw Him when he came into Jerusalem for the Passover
feast.
I was in the
courtyard of the Temple when He and His disciples came in and
went to watch the people give their offering into the Temple
treasury. I moved in
close to Him so I could hear what He was saying.
When He saw me He looked right at me and smiled.
It was such a pleasant smile and it was as though He
remembered me from His birthday.
He said nothing as the rich people came and gave their
tithes; but when a poor woman came, He paid particular
attention. She was
bent and her cloak was tattered and held tightly about her frail
shoulders. She tried
not to call any attention to herself.
She put two pennies into one of the large plates that had
been put out to receive the offerings from the people.
Then Jesus said, ‘This is the truth, that poor widow has
given more than all the others.
They all gave out of their wealth but she out of her
poverty has given all that she had to live on.’
I remembered what He said and that widow and her gift.
It became very real to me just a few days later.
I was on the hillside
when they crucified Jesus on a cross.
I heard the words He said.
The thing that I remember the most was the tender look on
His face when He said, even though in a terrible amount of pain,
‘Father, forgive them.
They don’t know what they are doing.’
When at last He
died there were men weeping openly.
Women were crying.
Tears ran from my own eyes like a river.
Even the head Roman soldier said that Jesus was a
righteous Man. I
think that Roman soldier was truly sorry that he had been given
the order to crucify Jesus.
As I witnessed
all this I remembered the poor widow and her meager gift.
It was all that she had yet she gave it out of love.
It made me realize that God also gave us a gift.
It was all He had.
All the wealth and power that Jehovah possessed meant
nothing to Him. To
Him, Jesus was everything He had and yet He, like the widow,
gave the gift of His Son out of His great love for us.”
When Daniel’s
father looked at him after he had finished the story he saw his
little son lost in thought.
He smiled to himself and silently gave thanks to Jehovah
for the gift of God’s Son and for the gift of his own son.
He quietly laid back, pulled his cloak over himself and
was soon fast asleep.
Although sleep
called, it was some time before Daniel curled up next to his
father and closed his eyes in the sleep of one who rests in the
security of one who knows that his Heavenly Father loves him.
It was a wonderful anniversary of the birth of Jesus
Christ the Son of God.