Friday, December 16 – Luke 2:16-20

And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

What gifts will you share with someone else this year? Maybe you are planning on having a family gift exchange or going on a special outing with a loved one to celebrate. There is something special about gifts that benefit more than just you. Sharing a gift means there’s someone to enjoy the gift and share in the excitement of the gift. The shepherds hurried to make their way to Bethlehem. They saw the child as they had been told. The mark of their time with Jesus was not in extravagant gifts or even extravagant worship, the mark of their time with Jesus was how they shared it with others. They saw Jesus and the hope that came through Him, and they were compelled to share.

When were you last excited to share the gift of Jesus with someone else? Have you been overjoyed to come to worship the King with your church family and share in glorifying God? The news the shepherds had to share was infectious, and they shared with urgency and excitement. Take to heart the message of who Jesus is this Christmas. May our joy and excitement for celebrating our Savior be infectious as it was with the shepherds. God has done what He said He would do. He has fulfilled the prophecies and He is still alive and at work today. He is the reason we celebrate. Let’s come and adore Him together, sharing in His goodness this season.

• Who can you share the joy of Christmas with this year?
• When have you seen someone excited about the message of Jesus? How did that impact you?
• Pray and ask God to give you the excitement and direction about who to share the good news of Christmas with this week.