Advent Daily Devotional - Day 11

Luke 2:17-18 (NIV) 

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 

Hello, and welcome to the latest of our Kerith Advent Daily Devotionals. It might be poor form of me to admit this in a blog about Christmas, but I have a confession to make: 

I was never a fan of Christmas Day. 

Be it the presents or the carol service or watching Morecombe and Wise reruns on BBC One, Christmas Day itself always felt a bit flat. The real excitement was always for Boxing Day, when the extended family would come together. We’d have the TV on in the living room so we could watch the football, and my older cousins would always regale me with tales of their exploits (often dubious, always hilarious). To this day, it’s still my favourite part of the Christmas season. 

Maybe it’s a place you visited when you were younger that’s always stuck with you, or a hobby you’ve taken up that’s more enjoyable than you could have expected; for all of us, there’ll be something that we love to talk about – something that sends us into outbursts of excitement whenever we think about it, something we’ll go on about every chance we get. But when we love something, and it brings us joy, why wouldn’t we want others to love and enjoy it as well? 

In Luke 2:17-18, we read that when the shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the newborn baby Jesus, ‘they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.’ After they had met with the Christ child, they were so excited that they went and told everyone about him! 

When I was a new Christian, I found it so hard to talk to my family and friends about my newfound faith. I was worried that they’d think I was weird, or perhaps that I was gullible. I found it so much easier and less stressful to talk about other things – like the football results, perhaps, or whatever ridiculous stunts my cousins were getting up to these days. But now when I think about my faith, and when I think about everything Jesus means to me, I find that just like the shepherds, I have to spread the word concerning him. I have to tell people: “Come and see!” 

Question 

We all have things we love and love to talk about. It might even be that we love to talk about Jesus! Even if it’s uncomfortable, or you get nervous at the idea – is there anyone in your life that you could talk about Jesus to, and maybe invite to a Christmas event, so they might meet with God just as you have? 

Today's devotional was written by Bryn McGlashan.