“Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

I have long been fascinated with the Royal Family. I glean crazy information from the media regarding hat-wearing protocol. What the Queen has for breakfast.  Mostly exaggerated or untrue. And totally irrelevant to my life.

 When any Royal is born, the Town Crier stands at the gates of the Palace and announces the birth with great fanfare and noise.

God announced the birth of Jesus:

With angels

“Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

A star

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

And a question

“So he (Herod) assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ would be born.” (Matthew 2:4)

God sent his angels, his messengers to proclaim the birth of Jesus. Emanuel. Jesus, the Message, come to live with His people. They announced the birth of our Great Shepherd, not at the city gate or the palace, but to shepherds in a field. He sent His star to guide the magi, the kings from the east to bring gifts to Jesus, who would become our Resurrected King.

I know that I will never be a member of the Royal Family. But I am grateful that God extends His hand, and asks me to be a part of His family. No matter where we are born. Rich or poor, black or white or anything in between. Broken. Less than perfect. He invites us into a family of other messed up people. He invites us to become a part of His story. He invites us to choose. Will you travel to Bethlehem and worship the King? Or will you stay in Jerusalem and be swallowed by the world?