Luke 2:15-16
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger.
Friday, December 19 – Week of Joy
These verses contain the fulfillment of the promise bestowed upon the shepherds by the Angel. They indeed found the prophesied child in Bethlehem, lying in a manger.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of this story is that the shepherds chose to leave their flocks to go find the one child in the manger. There are implications for this moment that echo into Christ’s own teachings. In fact, consider what their decision meant. The shepherds' choice put their own livelihood at risk. Maybe it was due to the incredible nature of the news they received, or maybe it was the fact that they realized they were part of something significantly important, but these shepherds lived out Jesus’ own lesson about leaving the ninety-nine in search of The One.
The shepherds went “with haste” to see what they were told about. This means they very likely left their sleeping flock behind. Trusting that the natural defenses would keep the flock safe, the shepherds embodied Jesus’ parable to witness the birth of the Christ Child.
Prayer: God of infinite wisdom, we find strength in community. When we know about the one who has been separated from Your flock, help us to introduce, or re-introduce them to the community in Christ, our Good Shepherd. Amen.
