Duc in Altum

Make Haste

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. (Luke 2:15-16, RSV)

What am I called to do? I am called to act upon what the Lord has revealed to me. The Lord, through the angels, made known to the shepherds that the long-awaited Savior has been born. The shepherds, who were considered unclean by the religious leaders of the day, had been told that the Messiah had been born that day in city of David. This is always the Lord's way. Those who are often scorned or considered unimportant are His beautiful instruments of proclamation. What wonderful faith that the shepherds, who
were terrified at the sight of the Angel of Lord, did not let their fear prevent them from seeking and finding God. What did they expect to find? What did they say to one another as they traveled to Bethlehem? How did they understand the words that the angel had spoken to them? Surely they were curious about the Messiah who was to be found in a manger wrapped in rags. Naturally, they must have wondered what this would mean and what the future would bring now that the Messiah had come. In the midst of any of their discussion and questioning, they did not lose the clear purpose which was to find the newborn child. They did not lose time even if as they excitedly talked about all they had seen and heard.

Even this day, the Lord has revealed things to me about myself and about others. Holidays always bring us together with others and we see the raw edges in our personalities. Will I, like the shepherds, act quickly upon what I have learned? Will I pray and act to let Him smooth out the rough edges and forego being annoyed at an unkind word? At this time--today--I must let Him change me by going to Jesus in haste.