It seems there are different kinds of angels. When Mary gave birth, the frightening type showed up and revealed themselves to the shepherds and others. God authenticated His message quite nicely with an unarguable angelic presence.
Sometimes God’s plan for authentication of His message is through unique circumstances. It was in the lack of hotel rooms, that Mary found herself authenticating God’s message. When Joseph gave Mary the news that all the hotels were sold out, Mary could have whined about it and refused to put her baby in a livestock feeding trough.
In Mary doing the unusual, she was being set up by God to authenticate that the baby was none other than Jesus! I find the biggest and most intimate encounters with God are often in the unusual. It is also the unusual that I tend to want to naturally avoid. Interesting conflict right?
To avoid the unusual, may disrupt your opportunity to experience an intimate encounter with your creator.
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep.
Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified.
The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”—
God Spots 