“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” Luke 2:16
The shepherds didn’t ask, “why me?”. They didn’t check with their supervisor. They didn’t gather all the data first so they could do a Pareto analysis. They literally ran with it.
When our kids were little, we had a Christmas morning tradition of not allowing them to go downstairs until they got the “all clear” from us.
Becky and I took great pleasure in their building anticipation as we (not too quickly) did our Christmas morning routine then sauntered up (camera ready) to the staircase where our kids were perched at the top, barely able to contain themselves.
When we said “OK”, they clamored down the stairs to their stockings as we took pictures and made sure they didn’t trample each other.
I can’t help but to think of the angels watching the shepherds clear out of the fields, maybe quickly gathering up their possessions, maybe not, making a beeline to the city and the stable where Jesus lay.
I wonder if God felt like us as we watched our kids at the top of the stairs, hearts full of love and wanting to bless their socks off on Christmas morning.
I believe Jesus gives us an answer in Luke 11:
““Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:11-13 NIV
Jesus is God’s perfect gift to all of us. Let’s hurry off to find him!
PRAY: “Father God, thank you for the perfect gift of Jesus. In all the business of the Christmas season, in all of the wonderful family time as well as the quiet times in the next few weeks, help us to see Him working. Help us to feel His presence. Prompt us through your Holy Spirit to seek him first and point to him amidst the blessings. For the grieving, that you would minister to them. For the lonely, that you would comfort them. In Jesus name, Amen.”
