Scripture to Read: Luke 2:15-16
Yesterday, God revealed to us how the angel of the Lord had given the shepherds a sign that our Lord Jesus Christ had been born and where He could be found. After the angel of the Lord and all of the heavenly hosts had appeared, glorifying and praising God, they then departed. The shepherds, so moved by the Good News, knew what they must do. God had Luke record this in Luke 2:15, "When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." Here is what we must not miss when the Lord reveals something, there must always be a response. The shepherds' response was to go to Bethlehem and see first-hand what the angel had declared to them. It's funny how God has Luke note that the shepherds wasted no time, but the shepherds "came in a hurry." As the shepherds went, they found what they had been told, "and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger." (Luke 2:16). The shepherds’ response to the announcement about the birth of Christ should reflect how we live our lives for Christ each day. As the shepherds went to see our Lord in a hurry, so should we. We must come to our Lord through prayer and in His Word with haste and not procrastinate. We must see the importance of spending time daily in God's Word, meditating on and memorizing His truth for our growth (Psalm 1:1-2; Psalm 119:9-11).
Challenge & Application
1. How does God reveal Himself to us (see Hebrews 1:1-4)? What response does that encourage from us?
2. How are you setting aside time each day for intentional time in God’s Word and prayer?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!