“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
- Luke 2:15 I had a job once that I absolutely dreaded. I worked in a warehouse that wasn’t climate-controlled, so it was hot in summer and cold in winter. Since it was a food warehouse, sometimes my work sent me into the cooler (which was around 40°F), and sometimes I also had to go into the freezer (where it was around 5°F). Besides the conditions, some of the people there were difficult to work with. One fellow eventually got fired for being so rude to staff and volunteers. It was easy to criticize him, but looking back I can remember that I wasn’t always easy to work with either. There are reasons why people get grumpy; workplace conditions can aggravate tempers. Plus the tasks of the job were stressful. I was managing both tons of food product and also leading volunteer teams that worked on it. We were getting it ready for the organizations that feed the homeless and the needy. So it was a good cause, but it was difficult work. Have you ever been in a situation like that? The conditions are harsh, the tasks are stressful, the circumstances are aggravating, and the people are difficult. If so, perhaps you can relate to the shepherds that are mentioned in Luke 2:8. Their work was outdoors in difficult hours. And certainly there were attitudes against them in the popular culture – the type that elites have toward the working class. Bigotry causes all kinds of pain in this world. Perhaps the best way to respond is to do what the shepherds did: Shift your focus from your troubles to “what the Lord has made known to us”. Faith is all about responding positively to what God has revealed to you. In the case of the shepherds, it came in an angelic theophany (in Luke 2:9-13). The angels gave news of a savior who was born in Bethlehem. It would be confirmed by the sign of a baby in a feed trough – which was not something you see every day. There were lots of babies in Bethlehem; but when they saw that one, they’d know they’d come to the right place. Faith is a core part of the Christian life. Sometimes it appears in a sequence like what we see in Luke 2:15…
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “…faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Rarely does a person get to see some great theophany. Jesus made this clear when He told the doubting disciple Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have yet believed” (John 20:27b). True faith goes beyond what is seen. But that doesn’t mean that we’re totally in the dark. God has His ways of making things known – through His word, through the lives of Christians around us, through His Holy Spirit, and in any number of other ways. We do well when we focus on that. Yes, life has its difficult circumstances and there are difficult people. But our focus is on what God has shown us, and responding to that in faith. And God always gives us what we need to make the journey. God bless you, Pastor Andrew McHenry
1 Comment
Kay Castro
1/6/2020 12:37:35 pm
Love it! Thank you. The concept of "theophany" is an interesting discussion topic!
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Andrew McHenryI am a husband, a Congregational pastor, and a native Kansan currently living in Thermalito, California. In the past I have also been a prison chaplain and a youth pastor. Interests include reading, railroads, prog rock, KU, and the KC Royals. Archives
February 2024
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