Truthfully, I haven't. But during Advent season this year I am reading and studying through the book of Luke. I am supposed to be doing a chapter a day but I am behind. I am enjoying it soooo much and learning so much! I think I would have missed so much joy and love from God had I have just skimmed over it quickly. Here is what God showed me today.
GOD IS NOT A RESPECTOR OF PERSONS!
God first appeared to shepherds living out in the fields. Shepherds were people who cared for the temple sheep. Quite possibly the lambs that were used for the temple sacrifice. They were considered the lowest people socially and their testimonies were not even allowed to be heard in a court of law. YES! They were that low! But who did the angel appear to first? The shepherds!
The angel gave them tidings of great joy, quite literally they were the first to hear the Good News of a Savior being born into the world! THE LOWEST PEOPLE on the planet, God appeared to first! But look at their response to the good news.
"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, 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. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." (Luke 2:15-16)
They didn't doubt, they didn't question why the angel chose them, they didn't even wait for days, they HURRIED off! The shepherds may have been regarded as the lowest but they definitely were not stupid! How ironic it is that the people who carried for the temple lambs for sacrifice were the ones who got the see the LAMB OF GOD who would take a way the sins of the World!!!! Coincidence? I think not!
But then God also showed the Wise Men!
See God gave his good news to the poor man and the rich man: to the uneducated man and the educated man; to the Jews and to the Gentiles; to one who was near and one who was far! God didn't appear to the high officials in the government or to the "popular crowd" he chose the most forsaken men alive, shepherds, and to the wisest and richest alive.
GOD DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR TITLE, YOUR SALARY, YOUR OUTWARD APPEARANCE, YOUR POLITICAL AFFILATION, or anything else MAN looks at. It doesn't matter if people have turned their back on you, God doesn't! God wants for EVERYONE to be told of his Good News. He doesn't FORCE anyone to do anything with it, it is simply a gift that you have laying on the table, to take up and unwrap and enjoy. If you want it......that is. Today, God has told you the good news- the choice is will you have a shepherds heart and accept it?
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