Stop to Go

Luke 2:15 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.”
 
YEARs ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Baltimore. The night I arrived was the night the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl. Two days later, the city celebrated with a parade that traveled the street bordering the building where I was working. I’m a football fan. This was a nice opportunity to see members of the best team in the game.
    But I missed this historic moment. I didn’t stop my work for a few minutes to go outside and watch. I have no idea what happened regarding the parade. Did the Ravens really go by the office building?
    With that “too much to do” attitude, the shepherds could have missed Jesus that night. When the angels had “gone into Heaven”, what would have happened if they had said to one another, “No, we won’t go.” They would have missed one of the three greatest spectacles to ever be displayed on earth. (Do you know the other two? One hasn’t happened yet.) Think of it. God favored these men with a heavenly appearance and a personal invitation into his presence. They responded. In wonder and awe, they went to see.
    That’s the Bible, isn’t it? This magnificent collection of 66 books is God’s invitation to go to him. He uses Spirit-anointed men to define and tell his story – history – of his victory over death.
    What joy to know God favors his creation at times with his glorious presence. Even more, God invites you to stop going your own way and to go into his way of life.
    The Bible says you can know God when you read the Bible. You can know him through prayer, right living in the law, church attendance, service, humility and many other God-directed steps. Do you eagerly go into these places to see God? Or perhaps you are prone to say, “Later. I’m too busy.”
    The angels pointed the way for the shepherds to see Jesus. God’s messenger now is the Holy Spirit. He seldom comes to literally shine into our dark nights. But he always comes to announce through godly teachers that a Savior has come to renew and save his creation. 1 Corinthians 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
    This is God’s plan, God’s story of redemption. He is victorious over evil. His kingdom has begun, and he will one day to form a new creation (that’s the third glorious event) when all believers will join in the heavenly parade of eternal victory.
    Thank God he comes. Then go to him. See who he is. Rejoice he is the Supreme Victor over death. Celebrate he is your Champion to defeat sin and save you to his eternal Throne Room.    
 
Prayer: Thank you, God, you come personally in Jesus and in the Spirit to display you are Supreme. Amen.