
It’s December 30th and the much anticipated excitement of Christmas Day has come and gone. It has been wonderful to join in at various social gatherings, celebrations, and enjoy family, friends, and a lot of tasty food! But, when the last gift is unwrapped and the Christmas excitement slows down, many folks struggle to avoid the POST CHRISTMAS CRASH that can leave them feeling depressed or even a bit under the weather.
Even spiritually, we can find ourselves in a slump after all the extra time and attention given to worshipping God for the gift of His Son, particularly when we have to return to our regular routines. But, what if ‘regular routines’ are not where we need to be this time of year? What if we chose to respond to this season AFTER Christmas like the Shepherds did that first Christmas? Maybe, we could avoid the Post Christmas Crash if we actively engage this precious gift (JESUS) rather than box Him away with all the other decorations this time of year….
The Shepherds in Luke 2:8-20 (The Shepherds and Angels):
1. WENT to see for themselves the thing the angels told them about. (v. 15)
~ they needed to ENCOUNTER God for themselves
2. WITNESSED to everyone about what they had heard and seen (v. 17)
~ this gift was so great it HAD to be shared with others – the good news was for ALL people including these lowly shepherds
3. WORSHIPPED God with all their hearts even AFTER the sights and sounds of the birth of Christ were passed (v. 20)
~ upon returning to their ‘routine’ jobs as shepherds they conntinued to GLORIFY and PRAISE GOD for the unimaginable, glorious gift of God’s grace & mercy!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to us all ! Let’s SEEK HIM for ourselves, let’s WITNESS eagerly because of who we have encountered and let’s WORSHIP God all through this coming year… glorifying Him and praising Him for all He is and has done!!
Blessings,
Pastor Sherry