Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:25:40 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Dec. 27); BP: Lk. 2:15-20; RBTTY: Rev. 18; Zechariah
December 27 "On Glorifying and Praising God"
"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
Luke 2:20
If He’s truly touched us, how can we keep silent?
"Anointed animation."
Isn’t that one way to describe what the shepherds were doing that night as they left the manger after seeing the Christ-child? No doubt they knelt beside His manger—or, perhaps they were too filled with reverent awe to draw near—that night when "they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger" (v.16).
But, they surely didn’t leave as they’d come.
They arrived breathless; but, they didn’t leave speechless—for it’s impossible to "glorify and praise God" without words. The question is "Why do we feel like we can?"
What’d started out as just another day/another dollar ended up being one of those spiritual "Kodak moments" for those poorly-paid, peasant shepherds. Day-after-day they’d tended others’ sheep, knowing if one of them was injured or lost they could be beaten or even killed.
Sheepherding was definitely not one of your more lucrative jobs. But, for them, it turned out to be a sacred one—for the God of Abraham decided to pay them a visit that night in a most unusual way.
And visit them He did!
"And the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them—and they were sore afraid" (v.9). Simply put, they were scared senseless! You don’t go from reclining half-asleep on a hillside to being surrounded by "a multitude of the Heavenly host" (v.13) without it having an impact on you! Glory!!
Likewise, you don’t hear words like "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people—for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (v.11) without it turning your world upside down. We must remember that they, too, were Jews by birth, who also longed for the appearance of the Messiah. Perhaps He’d so change things that they could find a new livelihood in His Kingdom and quit having to tend stupid, stinking sheep.
Regardless, when the angel told them where they could find the Christ (vv.11-12), they knew they couldn’t just sit there, watching sheep. No, they tore out for nearby Bethlehem like someone running down the street to see a building on fire. And, after seeing Jesus in the manger, they "made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child" (v.17). They were the first Good News evangelists, if you will. And, so should we be, Pilgrim, if we know Jesus as Savior and Lord. May He help us "glorify and praise Him" today by telling others what He’s done for us.
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"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
Luke 2:20
If He’s truly touched us, how can we keep silent?
"Anointed animation."
Isn’t that one way to describe what the shepherds were doing that night as they left the manger after seeing the Christ-child? No doubt they knelt beside His manger—or, perhaps they were too filled with reverent awe to draw near—that night when "they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger" (v.16).
But, they surely didn’t leave as they’d come.
They arrived breathless; but, they didn’t leave speechless—for it’s impossible to "glorify and praise God" without words. The question is "Why do we feel like we can?"
What’d started out as just another day/another dollar ended up being one of those spiritual "Kodak moments" for those poorly-paid, peasant shepherds. Day-after-day they’d tended others’ sheep, knowing if one of them was injured or lost they could be beaten or even killed.
Sheepherding was definitely not one of your more lucrative jobs. But, for them, it turned out to be a sacred one—for the God of Abraham decided to pay them a visit that night in a most unusual way.
And visit them He did!
"And the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them—and they were sore afraid" (v.9). Simply put, they were scared senseless! You don’t go from reclining half-asleep on a hillside to being surrounded by "a multitude of the Heavenly host" (v.13) without it having an impact on you! Glory!!
Likewise, you don’t hear words like "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people—for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (v.11) without it turning your world upside down. We must remember that they, too, were Jews by birth, who also longed for the appearance of the Messiah. Perhaps He’d so change things that they could find a new livelihood in His Kingdom and quit having to tend stupid, stinking sheep.
Regardless, when the angel told them where they could find the Christ (vv.11-12), they knew they couldn’t just sit there, watching sheep. No, they tore out for nearby Bethlehem like someone running down the street to see a building on fire. And, after seeing Jesus in the manger, they "made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child" (v.17). They were the first Good News evangelists, if you will. And, so should we be, Pilgrim, if we know Jesus as Savior and Lord. May He help us "glorify and praise Him" today by telling others what He’s done for us.
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