For All They had Heard and Seen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God

for all the things

that they had heard and seen,

as it was told them.

Luke 2:20, NKJV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They saw the angels in a field outside Bethlehem.  They heard the announcement of the Christ's birth and the mighty chorus of heaven's hosts singing, "Glory to God!"  The followed the instructions of God's personal messenger and found the Messiah in the manger, the Christ in the crib, the baby in the bread basket, Deity in diapers if you please.  They saw it all, just as they had been told.

 

And they returned to their place, glorifying and praising God for it all.

 

I think about those first evangelists, the original bearers of good tidings of great joy, as they ran through the streets and over the hills of Bethlehem telling the story  Because they had heard and seen for themselves.

 

Do we do the same?

 

For some, when God touches their lives, they cannot help but exclaim about the goodness of God.  They are quick to tell family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, strangers, and even enemies about what God has done for them.  They are thrilled to relate how Christ has changed their lives, restored their marriages, healed their bodies, delivered them from addictions.  They are excited when they have experienced first hand the transformational power of a living God.

 

But there are others who, no matter how powerfully God moves in their lives, no matter what they see, no matter what they hear, remain unimpressed.  They shrug as others shout and mutter, "What's the big deal?"  The presence of the Lord has become familiar, and their hearts have grown cold to it.  There is not more enthusiasm for the things of God.  They leave church looking sad and mad, and they tell no one about the goodness of God or the joy they have in Jesus.  And sadly enough, no one can tell that these have been saved, redeemed, born afresh and anew, or touched by the Divine in any way.

 

Let us learn the lesson of the shepherds, and I can't say it emphatically enough.  Let us worship in the presence of the Lord, then go back to our place rejoicing with praise and giving God great honor before all.  For that is why we are here!