Putting faith into action is the Lord’s desire for each child of God. On that first Christmas, an angel appeared to shepherds guarding their flocks of sheep outside of Bethlehem, telling them the Savior had been born. Luke 2:11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. [1]
I would have pondered what the angel said if I were a shepherd. The angel told them the Messiah had been born. The angels not only brought an announcement but also an assignment. This prompted them to go to see Him immediately. This exciting assignment given by the angel led them to the Messiah.
The Shepherds Dropped Everything to Go to the Messiah
The shepherds were amazed and excited about what had happened. Did some shepherds stay behind to guard the sheep? The text does not say. What the text does say is they hurried to Bethlehem. Luke 2:15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.[2]
The conversation between the shepherds and Mary and Joseph must have been filled with joy as they described the angel experience they had just witnessed. Also, imagine the shepherds first looking at the Messiah and beholding His majesty. Did they have tears of joy as they looked upon baby Jesus?
Putting Faith into Action Results in Joy
The shepherds could have disregarded what the angel said, continued to care for their sheep, and missed one of God’s greatest gifts in their lifetime. Often, the greatest gifts the Lord wants to give to us require us to put our faith into action. The Holy Spirit may nudge you to encourage a friend or loved one, ask someone for forgiveness, volunteer, spend time in His word, pray, or worship.
When I put my faith into action, I can change the life of someone and myself. The shepherds put their faith into action and experienced a wonderful gift from the Lord, which is the same for us. Is the Lord calling you to put your faith into action?
Prayer
Lord, help me to be Strong and take ACTION in places YOU have called me![3] Amen.
To learn about putting faith into action, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/fulfilled-birth-of-jesus
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.
[3] https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-daily-prayer/your-daily-prayer-july-16.html