16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
Do you remember when you first heard about Jesus? How did you respond?
When the shepherds heard the message from the angels they quickly went to find the family the angels had told them about. They searched and found them but more importantly they found Him. I wonder what they thought. How could this child be the Christ? Could He really be the one all of the prophecies were written about? A baby? And yet there must have been something special about this family because the shepherds left believing what they had been told.
I was told of a little boy who was playing the Inn keeper in a children’s play. He had rehearsed his lines over and over preparing to tell Mary and Joseph there was no room in the Inn. The night of the play the rambunctious little boy was struck by the truth that Jesus’ parents were turned away and denied a place to sleep. When it was his turn to say his line confirming there was no room in the Inn he said it with gusto “There is no room in the Inn.” He followed it with “but you can have my room.” The teacher nearly fell out of her chair, but the heart of the child speaks for itself. When you understand who Jesus really is it changes you, and when the shepherds heard and saw they too were changed.
How about you? Has Jesus changed you?
I was reading a debate on Facebook today started by one young lady who was clearly rather intelligent and knowledgeable of Christianity and other religions. There was back and forth over whether Christians or Muslims killed more people. As Facebook debates tend to do, it spiraled downhill. I kept wondering if this lady had ever had the love of Jesus shared with her and not just with words. She said she didn’t believe we are sinners as the Bible proclaims. At this point she wouldn’t see her need for a Savior. Not sure if words would do much for this one b/c there seemed to have been a disputive response for everything. That’s where someone, a God fearing believer, would have to get involved and just do life along side her. That and a lot of prayer.
Your post is right on point! Knowing Jesus changed everything for us. The lost seeing Jesus alive in us can make a difference for them as well. They need our light to shine so that they may be guided to the Savior and have eternity change for them too.
I learned of Jesus at an early age and accepted Him as my Savior at 11 years old. However, my first real “trust” encounter with Jesus was something that may seem trivia to others. However, it was very precious to me and even today as a maturing adult, I still ponder on it and how it touched my life. He answered a very simple, yet personal prayer request when I was a sophomore in high school. When I think on how He loves me and cares for me, it still blows me away! Oh, how He loves you and me.