“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, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:15-20

Have there been instances along your journey when you have been visited by unexpected witnesses? Shepherds. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus were visited by shepherds. They probably smelled like sheep and their robes were wrinkled and soiled. They were a vital part of God’s plan for Advent. When God sent an unexpected person into your journey to the store, or in church or at the senior center, it was an intentional part of His plan for you. When God has your journey in His plans, the people He uses are often unexpected.

God quite often does things with our journey that we don’t understand. But, you see, God does surprising things. In the attached photo, I counted 14 boys and 4 girls who attend a Lutheran school Northwest of Hinche. These young Haitian kids will be unexpected witnesses in their neighborhoods and perhaps throughout their country one day. We don’t know how God will use them but we know that He will. I don’t know their names…but He does. God delights in lifting up nobodies and using them as somebodies. God will use them to share the Good News of that baby Jesus with the lost souls in their neighborhood and He may use you to help feed them along their journey on this side of Paradise.

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, 8not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you,

Jay