Morning by Morning, December 22 - “Ponder” and Proclaim Our Encounters in the Presence of God
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Son of God, Son of Man, Savior of All, I give You all of my heart and all that I am because You’ve given all that You are for me. ...
“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 known 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 known 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)
Mary pondered all these things in her heart, and the shepherds proclaimed all these things from their hearts. And all their lives were forever changed by all these things from their encounter in the Presence of God.
“When they had seen Him,” the shepherds became the first evangelists, as “they made widely known” all they had seen and heard (v. 17). They pondered these things in their hearts, but also proclaimed these things with their lives.
When we draw near to You, when we come to know You, when we have our encounters with You, we ponder our experiences in our hearts, but are also moved to share our experiences with others. We want to make You “widely known” because You are the God who knows us and draws us near to know You.
Then those who hear this Good News of our good God who knows us and makes Himself known to us marvel at all these things and are drawn to come to know You too and encounter You too for themselves. Then they ponder their experiences in their hearts and are moved to proclaim all they experienced with others. And then You and Your glory, the Good News of Your mercy and love, Your goodness and grace, Your “peace and goodwill toward men” is made even more “widely known” until it reaches all the earth (v. 14).
That’s how “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14; Isaiah 11:9). “This Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come!” (Matthew 24:11) So like those shepherds whose lives were forever changed by an encounter with You, those first evangelists, may we each ponder and proclaim all we’ve experienced through all our own encounters throughout all our world. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
Friends, may ponder and proclaim your experiences in the Presence of God, as you share this Good News of the Kingdom throughout your world, in Jesus' name. Merry Christmas! God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries Mailing Address: 412 S. Adams Street #148 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Please share this word to encourage a friend! Anyone can sign up for free at: https://messiah-ministries.org | 
