"The Big Event"

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made know to us."' And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely know the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.   Luke 2:15-20

When they heard the king they departed and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  Matthew 2:9-12

I hope every one had a great Christmas!!! Now that it is the day after the big event I wanted to take a quick look at what it was like for the shepherds and the wise men after their encounter with Jesus. It says that once the shepherds had seen Him, "...they made widely know the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them." All that is a real fancy way of saying, "Once they had seen and worshiped Him they told everyone! They blabbed it all to anyone and everyone they came in contact with. They told everything from the angels appearing to the actual encounter with the Child and His mother. They also continued glorifying and praising God as they went back the their everyday lives. They took and attitude of worship with them.

The wise men too were changed by their encounter.  It says that when they had entered the house they fell down and worshiped Him. They then gave Him the gifts they had brought and then that night they were divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod and they returned home a different way. They were willing to risk Herod's wrath and disobey his orders to tell him the location of the Child and instead they took a different route home. I love that phrase. Why you might ask? Because I tend to believe that anyone who has truly worshiped at the feet of our King proceeds along a different path from that moment on.

I pray that you were touched as you acknowledged Him as your king and that your days ahead are filled with praise, worship, and lots of blabbing as you tell others all that you have seen and heard and experienced from your time in His presence!

May He Bless your days ahead as you go forth changed  by your encounter Jesus!!!