December 21, 2024 Devo

December 21st, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
The Birth of Jesus – The Shepherds
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. – Luke 2:8-9 (NLT)
"Shepherds Visiting the Shepherd"

Shepherds. Are you kidding me? Out of all the people in the world that the angels could have gone to, God chose shepherds. Didn’t He know what shepherds were like? Shepherds were often a motley crew. They were mostly regarded as being roughnecks who couldn’t be trusted. Because of their reputation, they weren’t allowed to testify in a court of law, and their very job made them ceremoniously unclean. Why shepherds?
Well, first of all, they were exactly the kind of people Jesus was coming to save. He wasn’t coming for righteous people. He was coming for people who were far from God. Jesus came to change the hearts of heathens, change the behavior of the unscrupulous, and put praise in the mouths of the foul-tongued. Luke’s whole gospel is dedicated to this idea. So why not start with shepherds?
Second, since Jesus was coming through the line of David, inviting the shepherds was a “tip of the hat” to David’s humble beginnings. David had spent many a night in fields like these shepherds, most likely writing many of his psalms as he stared at the stars. David started out as a shepherd before he was anointed as king, so why not invite some shepherds to the birth of the King of Kings?
And last, “shepherd” was one of the titles that God and Jesus used to refer to themselves. As David reflected in the field, he wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd, I have all I need.” (Psalm 23:1) Isaiah speaks of the Lord this way, “He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” (Isaiah 40:11) Jesus Himself will make the proclamation, “I am the Good Shepherd.” (John 10:11)
This last thought is the one I want you to take with you today. The shepherds remind us of the heart and care of God. God is a Shepherd who loves you, cares for you, and endlessly chases after you. Just as the shepherds came to where the baby was, now The Shepherd comes to where you are. The Good Shepherd watches over YOU today in all your endeavors. Anytime you need Him, He’s there. That’s God’s Word for you today.