Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ∼ Albert Camus
All praise to God, our Almighty Creator! Amen!
Luke 2:8-20 (<<click to read the passage)
Isn’t it hard to keep exciting news to yourself? Getting that acceptance letter to college! A young couple getting engaged! Getting pregnant for the first time…or second…or third! New jobs! Promotions! Retirement…finally! And there are many other things that can be a challenge to keep bottled up!
My wife, Karen, is good at keeping things quiet until just the right time. When I turned forty, she planned a surprise birthday party for me. I pulled in the driveway, walked into the house and…SURPRISE! My house was packed! People from work and church and of course family filled my home. I had absolutely no idea! She had even worked it out to shuttle everyone from the nearby school parking lot for the ultimate surprise! She pulled off both of her parents’ 80th birthdays and their 50th Anniversary party – lots of fun for all!
The shepherds in the field that night outside of Bethlehem had no clue as to what was about to transpire but it quickly went from a quiet, humdrum evening to literally the biggest surprise of their lives! First, one angel with a glorious proclamation.
“Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host (angelic army) praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.” v.13-14 (AMP)
When the angels departed the shepherds didn’t waste time but said,
“Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this [wonderful] thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” v15b
Once they had seen everything was just as the angel had proclaimed (not because they doubted but out of sheer excitement!), they spread the amazing news!
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished…v18 (NLT)
They had no reason to keep what they had learned bottled up. They have every reason to proclaim it! I’m sure it was one of those stories that they readily shared with anyone that would listen. And if they are like people I know, many probably heard it over and over again!
Now here’s the rub – are those of us, who claim to be followers of Jesus, are we as eager to proclaim the amazing news of His coming into our lives? Many of us are pretty subdued. In our politically correct culture sometimes it’s easier to keep quiet.
Lord Jesus, embolden us! Set our hearts afire as those of the shepherds! May we be as eager to get the word out as they were! Help us to not keep the Good News of Your coming bottled up! Amen!
Oct 29th, 2019, Tues, 1:08 pm
