Faithful Father (Day 18)

Rendering What is Received

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke 2:20

The shepherds had received the gift of being one of the first to encounter Jesus. They had been favored and chosen by God, to behold the Christ. Now, the moment of the encounter was over in the moment, and they were having to move forward. They did not receive this blessing to simply receive, there was something they now had to render. Every encounter with God demands a response.

The shepherds returned to their field and while they were returning, they were praising and glorifying God. They were not hung up on how special they were that they were chosen to see Jesus, they were hung up on the Chosen One. Time spent with Jesus tends to lead us to focus more on His greatness than ourselves.

Notice that the Scripture says that they were praising and glorifying God because all they had heard and seen, “as it had been told to them.” It was God’s faithfulness that was recognized and received. It is one thing to receive a promise, a word of knowledge, or even a word of encouragement. It is a completely different thing to walk in the fulfillment of it. The shepherds were full of praise because God was fulfilling His faithfulness unto them.

Be encouraged today that your Father is faithful. He will give you the details sometimes, and even the blueprints to what He will call you to. Those details and blueprints are to guide you closer to His presence and purpose for your life. The shepherds received word and direction in regards to what the Savior was and where He was. I believe that God is speaking to you just as He did to them. He is guiding you with a revelation and a direction. Truth your Father’s faithfulness.

Once you find yourself walking in this faithfulness, render unto the Lord worship, and glorifying His name for what you have received. He is worthy of worship today, just as He was in the midst of the Shepherds. God is a God worthy of praise, for He leads us in al of His ways.