I love to read the story of Jesus’ birth. There are so many things in that story that just speak to me.
I was reading this morning and this jumped out at me.
When the angels came to make the announcement to the shepherds, they were doing their normal thing. They were living in the fields, watching the sheep. Look at what happened after they received the news of what was taking place:
Luke 1:15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
They left what was their normal daily routine and went after the promise that had been told to them. Pretty radical, huh? I wonder what would happen in our lives if we would go after the things God has promised us.
The shepherds did not sit on the hillside with their hands folded and say “Ok, great. That’s so awesome. We’ll be right here waiting to see it.” They got up from where they were, left what they were doing, and, the next verse says: “they went with haste to see this thing that had been told to them.” They positioned themselves for what they had been promised.
Do you have a promise from God for your life? Is there some special miracle you’re believing for? Maybe there is a new job you’ve been asking God for, or maybe you’ve been praying for a son or daughter to be saved.
What are you doing to position yourself for what God has promised you? I dare say that if the shepherds on that hillside long ago had decided to stay where they were, we would never have heard about them and they certainly would have never seen the promise of the angels on that night.
What are you holding on to that is keeping you from seeing the promises of God in your life? Is it reputation, past failure, hurt or disappointment?
There’s an old saying that goes like this: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
Father, help me today to be bold enough to get up from where I am, leave what is comfortable and familiar, and go with haste after what you have promised me. I turn away from anything that pulls my attention away from you and your plan for my life. I will pursue. I will seek. I will do whatever it takes to see your promise fulfilled in me. Thank you for choosing me for such a time as this.
Be Blessed Today!