The shepherds were going about their routine, daily life when in a moment everything changed. That first Christmas night, while they were LOOKING UP in terrified awe, the angel shared “good news of great joy”. Those shepherds would find a baby lying in a manger, but it wouldn’t be just any baby - it was Christ the Lord! Then, while continuing to LOOK UP, a great company of angels praised God by giving Him the highest glory and expressing peace to all people, whom He favors above all. The shepherds’ response was to go seek out the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Christ the Lord was born as a helpless human baby, just as His very image-bearers are. While that is what we are getting ready to celebrate, so many other things draw our attention at this time of year. But in reality, the challenge given all year long to keep LOOKING UP at Jesus is more important than ever. As the world around us is still in strife and hopelessness, we have been given the best news of all - our Creator favored us enough to come and save us in the midst of the mess. Don’t allow the enemy to steal that salvation and hope from a world that needs it as much now as ever before. Over and over again this year we had the opportunity to share that very message all over this great country. We praise our Lord for the increase this year, especially when at the beginning it looked uncertain.

    Our time before His return is shortened each and every second of passing time. We look forward to being in His presence at any moment with those heavenly hosts from that first Christmas night, praising our Creator and Savior in glorious accord: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.” All of these things are unseen for now, just as the Christ was to those shepherds until that night.

     In 2022 our challenge is to focus on the UNSEEN hope and assurance of eternity. The apostle Paul reminds us of this truth in 2 Corinthians 4:18. He also reminds us that the “seen” despair, fear, and troubles are temporary. Keep looking at the UNSEEN this Christmas season and into the new year. Blessings!

“while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” - 2 Corinthians 4:18