Though, the
official day set-aside celebrate Christmas has passed, there is still so much
truth to gain from the birth, life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many
are taking down the Christmas decorations today, and much of the Christmas music
will soon stop playing if it has not already.
I wonder if
the shepherds understood that God himself sent his angel to include them in the
beginning of the greatest miracle mankind would ever experience! Did they sense how deeply God valued and
blessed them by delivering the greatest news of all! Was this the proof they had searched and
prayed for that the God of the universe saw them in their humble condition?
Were they overwhelmed to the point of tears and shouts of joy, or speechless that God saw fit to make his fleshly appearance
into his own creation? Did they understand the glorious invitation God
was extending to them? What an honor it
must've been the shepherds to discover that God Almighty issued them an
invitation to witness the living God becoming man! See Luke 2:8 – 20. Note that
verse 20 says it happened just as they had been told. Further evidence that God
delivered on his done promise! I can't help but think, maybe the better
question is do we understand that we are given the same wonderful invitation
that was extended to the shepherds? Likewise, we should have the same response as
the shepherds, to the fact that God has issued an invitation to us for
redemption, reconciliation, and relationship with him! My previous post was
entitled the Promise Fulfilled and Delivered. This is just one of the many ways
God has proven himself faithful repeatedly. You and I can rest assured that
when God promises to be with us, and to secure eternity for us: he will make
good on those promises. The shepherds
went as an act of faith. They proclaimed as an act of obedience, and they worshiped
as expression of love and devotion... Perhaps, it was even partly desperation
that caused them to go quickly after the angel appeared. The likelihood is that
no one paid a lot of attention to the shepherds, but God used the shepherds as
part of his miraculous plan. The shepherds are both a testament to heartfelt
worship, and were chosen as instruments to declare the miraculous, to those
willing to hear. Finally, I wonder if my response to Christ and the miracle of
salvation, is the same as those of the shepherds? I'm so glad to God chose to make the
shepherds part of his plan. The same way, I am glad that he has allowed you and
I to partake in the wonder and joy of the gospel! What a lesson we can learn from the
shepherds, not only about worship, or missions, but also in discovering our
value and worth to God!
Questions to
ponder:
1. How am I similar and/or different
from the shepherds spiritually speaking?
How does the account of the shepherds and the birth of Christ affect me
and those around me?
