Most of us have heard the story of the birth of Jesus time and time again. However, the blessed account never grows old because of the wonderful meaning it holds. One aspect of the Christmas story that stands out in my mind is the immediate impact Jesus made when He was born; His presence affected the people around Him in a strong way. By noticing the responses of those who beheld baby Jesus, we can learn how to better express our worship to Jesus today.
In the second chapter of Luke, we find the account of an angel proclaiming to a group of shepherds that a Savior has been born in Bethlehem. After hearing the news, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about” (v. 15). The next verse continues, “So they hurried and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in a manger.”
The actions of the shepherds definitely demonstrate extreme desire for the Lord. As soon as they heard the news about Jesus, they stopped everything they were doing so they could leave to find Him. Are we willing to do the same today? Just like the shepherds, we need to carry a deep hunger for Jesus. Our cry should be like the psalmist’s: “As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). When we reach the point where Jesus is our absolute greatest desire, we will experience the fullness of God operating in our lives. Jesus told His disciples, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6).
The shepherds “hurried” to find baby Jesus. You may feel like you’re always in a hurry, but have you hurried to find Jesus lately? We rush to a lot of activities this time of year; let’s rush to the presence of the Lord! As the familiar Christmas carol says, “O come, let us adore Him!”
Reflections 