Ponder
By Trevin Wax on Dec 24, 2008 in Devotional Thoughts | 
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But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
– Luke 2:19-20
Why shepherds?
Have you ever wondered why a glorious host of heavenly angels put on their best celestial choir performance for a scraggly band of sheep-keepers? Why not for King Herod? Why not show up the rulers and astound Caesar in Rome? Why go to the lowest people on society’s scale of importance?
Like Mary, we should treasure the Christmas story and ponder these questions in our hearts.
The Christmas story shows us that God’s ways are not our ways. God does not save people on the basis of their earthly importance, physical appearance, wealthy status or position. God saves people on the basis of his mercy alone, and that means that even lowly, smelly shepherds are loved by God.
Once we ponder the Christmas story, we are immediately convicted of our tendency to “write people off” when it comes to salvation.
He’s too poor.
She just doesn’t have it together.
They are too addicted to drugs.
She would never come to church.
Aren’t you thankful that God didn’t write you off? That God reached in and touched you with his salvation?
Take some time today to ponder all that God has done for you. And then ask God to bring people into your life that you can spread the good news of salvation to.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your coming at Christmas. Thank you for the salvation you have provided for a lowly, undeserving sinner like me. Help me to show forth your salvation to those around me in the coming year.
© Copyright by Trevin Wax | Print This Post | Share (Twitter, Email, Facebook)
Why shepherds? Why not? If you search the ESV Bible for the word you get 111 references and many are important. In fact God himself is our Shepherd
Genesis 48:15
And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
Psalm 23:1
The LORD Is My Shepherd…
King David was a shepherd
2 Samuel 5:2
In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’”
And Jesus is our Shepherd
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
And has ordered each of us as believers to be shepherds
1 Peter 5:2
shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
Until ultimately Jesus returns as the chief Shepherd
1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
So why should we be surprised that the first to know of the birth of Jesus would be shepherds, lowly in the sight of men but exalted before God.
Merry Christmas and God bless everyone
-jim
http://ke4juh.wordpress.com/
ke4juh | Dec 24, 2008 | Reply
Yes , I am extremely THANK-Full also for being saved by our God who send Jesus to save His people from their sins ! I love being His sheep !
I desire to be used to win my husband , son and family to the Lord !
Jesus came to save sinners and I am His and hope to please God by reminding myself of that daily and intercede for souls who are dead in their sin ! Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and she treasured the news about her son in her heart and so must we because the Son of God Jesus Christ is born in us also by the Holy Spirit who is God !
AMZING GRACE !
Anna | Dec 25, 2008 | Reply
I was told once that the shepherds that were told the good news of the child were the shepherds that watched over the flock that were destined for the altar in Jerusalem. I suppose that would makes sense, huh?
Joel | Dec 25, 2008 | Reply