Who Is Watching the Sheep?

Luke 2:⁸ In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰ And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”

The power of God is revealed from time to time, and His power can be seen in weather changes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and many other things we call "natural" disasters. When we see the power of Almighty God, it should do something to us, let alone revealing a multitude of angels, and they are singing as only angels can sing, Glory to God in the highest. Our reaction to the power of God may be mixed, but it should be acknowledged as coming from God. Don't ever minimize the work of God, and He will reveal Himself more and more as we lift up His name because He is worthy to be glorified.

I believe our "lifting up the name of Jesus" is a realization that our God is the one true God and He is worthy of our praise. The Psalmist writing in Psalm 34 gives us a picture of the attitude of the hearts of those who honor and magnify the Lord. Psalm 34: 1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. ³ Exalt the Lord with me, And let’s exalt His name together. To deny that God is all-powerful is to minimize His role in our lives, and that is an affront to the very belief that saves us from our sin. Since God has the power to forgive our sins and give us an eternal home in glory, it is only natural for His sheep to follow His lead. God is at work in our world, and specifically in our country, and our faith should shape just what God can do in the midst of so many lies and so much evil. God is more powerful than anything we are experiencing right now, and the enemy is already defeated, so live in the power of that victory, and victory will be seen more and more in your daily life.

When we live in this wonderful victory, our lives will always believe for the best from God, and He comes through again and again. Further in Psalm 34, the Psalmist brings it home for those who trust in God. Psalm 34: ⁴ I sought the Lord, and He answered me,

And rescued me from all my fears. ⁵ They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. ⁶ This wretched man cried out, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,

And rescues them. Be a sheep who trusts our shepherd, and He will lead to victory upon victory as only the perfect Shepherd could do. When this wretched man cries out to God, the reply is, "I got this," and the rest is magnifying the Lord to me.

God is "watching the sheep," and we are the sheep, so trust Him and follow His lead, and He will keep you safe, and His power will be evident.

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren