Friday, December 20, 2013

By: Brandon Bilbo

Searching for the King

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.

One of the things about the birth of Jesus that always stands out in my mind is the story of the shepherds. Imagine, it's more than 2000 years ago. There is no electricity, no modern conveniences, and you are a shepherd watching the sheep...in a desert. There are no lights radiating from the city life. It is pitch black. It seems like a typical night and THEN...all of a sudden... the entire sky illuminates and an angel appears.

Now, MAYBE you would have played it cool in this situation, but the Bible says that the shepherds were afraid.

The angel then reassured them by saying, "Don't be afraid...I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." Then, the one angel was joined by an army of angels who began singing praises to God.

I don't know about you, but I don't think I could go back to tending sheep after witnessing a Heavenly Musical and being surrounded by the presence of God...and neither could the shepherds. They decided to go FIND the newborn King!

Now, it's not like the shepherds had cars or MapQuest, and they couldn't Google, "Where was the baby born?" Yet, they still began a journey to find Him.

The angels didn't have to command the shepherds to go search for Jesus. They knew that the testimony of His birth would be enough to drive them out of their pastures. You see, when you have a glimpse of what God has for you, you will go way out of your way to FIND His promises for your life.

Christmas is not only a time that we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it is also a time to celebrate the plan of salvation that God has for you and for me. The birth of Jesus is a glimpse into how much God loves us. When we begin to grasp His love for us, it will make us search for God the same way the shepherds searched.

I challenge you today to search for Him. If you are looking for His promises, search. If you are looking for answers, search. If you are looking for hope, search. Today's verse is a reminder that all those who search Him with their WHOLE hearts WILL find Him!

Dear Lord, I thank You for the gift of hope that we have in You.

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.