Don’t count yourself out!

I am so honored to be sharing this Christmas week with you on A Miracle Every Day. Let’s begin our time with prayer together:

Jesus, as we draw near to this amazing Christmas season, I pray for *|NAME|*, and I ask that every day of this Christmas season would be a miracle for them. I pray that you would open the eyes of your people to see the true miracle of Christmas. I thank you for coming to earth to seek and save the lost. You are the greatest gift of all! Amen.

Have you ever stopped and thought about these verses from the Christmas story?

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” (Luke 2:8, NIV)

The words seem so incidental and unimportant and yet, there is such a beautiful miracle embedded within them. Shepherds were outcasts. They were not accepted by their own society, and were looked down upon in judgment and suspicion. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt excluded or judged? I have.

To all those who have felt left out, Jesus has a miraculous invitation! I love that Jesus picked those on the edges of society to be honored guests at the celebration of His arrival. The outcasts get VIP passes to the birthday of a King! Listen to this invitation!

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord...... (Luke 2:9 -11, NIV)

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child... (Luke 2:15-17)

Don’t ever count yourself out! You are invited to celebrate with the shepherds. Just because the people in your life may overlook you because they have pushed you to the edge of their heart, Jesus will never do that. Jesus has a special place and invitation created especially for you.

For the Shepherds, they went from being on the edge of earthly society to being invited and included at the birthday celebration of Jesus, AND they were selected as the very first messengers of the news that a Messiah, a Savior had come! They went from “minding their own business” to spreading the news that the King of All Kings had arrived!

Today, don’t ever count yourself out! You may just be going about your business, but God has a miraculous plan to include you as His guest of honor in the plan He has for your life!

As you go about your life today, look for someone on the edge of society and find a way to include and see them as one of God’s precious children. You can be their miracle today.

I am grateful for you and never forget,

YOU are a miracle!

Your friend,

Grant

P.S. The texts of this reading come from the daily email A Miracle Every Day. If you would like to receive a daily encouragement and begin 2023 in daily reflection, I invite you to subscribe to A Miracle Every Day.