Monday, December 20

PRAISE IN THE PASTURE

Luke 2:8-20

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis 1:1 For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible.  Colossians 1:16  All of creation was created to praise God.

The pasture and the sheep praised God.  The pasture praised by giving life to the sheep in providing nourishment and a safe place in which to feed.  Just as a good pastor gives us the right pasture, God’s true word, to feed in, and clean water for us to drink.  The sheep praise by the way they were created.  Sheep listen to the voice of their master and follow his lead, but will not follow the voice of a stranger.  We must enter in to Jesus’ sheepfold by way of Jesus, the only true Way, and the only Door.  Praise must go forth from our lips as we worship in Christ’s pasture and His Bible, the nourishment for our life.  The baas of the sheep and lambs are all given to God.  Our praises must have the oil to be praise-worthy for God, and our prayers must be sweet aroma in His nostrils. 

There was room in the sky for praise.  The angel came down and told the shepherds the good news.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.  There was lots of room for praise in the sky.  The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.  Psalm 19:1 The earth, sun, moon and all the billions of stars, nebulas, and Milky Way, everything is His handiwork!  Scientists try and try to discover stuff about the universe, and they try to prove God wrong by their silly and messed up ideas.  God spoke a word and all the stars went into place, where the scientists can spend their lives on a matter so simple for God.  The moon and the stars praise by night and the sun by day.  We are created to praise by night and by day. 

The shepherds praised by the way that they were obedient and humble and received Christ’s will with great desire.  They ran to where Jesus was with no dilly-dally.  They found Jesus lying in the manger, just as the angel had told them.  They recognized the Lamb Who would pay the penalty for their sins, maybe because they were shepherds.  Here, before them, was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.  The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.  How often when we get out of church do we forget what we heard?  Not so with the shepherds.  If only we would run to praise and worship God as they did, and spread the good news to all that are close to us.  They shared Jesus with every one they met.  We should have such a passion for Christ!  If we let God begin a work in our lives and go to the Bible for our nourishment, we will live to praise Him in His pasture.  Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name.  Psalm 100:3, 4

~ Anthony J.  Parrotta, age 12