Today's Verse: Luke 2:16-20

Thursday, December 24, 2026

[The shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby [Jesus], 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... 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 2:16-20

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

The shepherds' reaction to baby Jesus is exactly what our reaction will be when we see the returning Jesus: we will glorify and praise God for all the things we see and hear and will find that they are just as God has promised them to us. Since God kept his word in the first coming of Jesus, we can be assured that he will do it with the Second Coming of Jesus!

My Prayer...

Faithful and all-powerful Lord, thank you for being trustworthy and true. Help me to be faithful to you in what I do and say and think during this stressful yet marvelous time of the year. May I never lose faith in the coming of Jesus and may my faith in him ever shape my life to be more pleasing to you. In the name of your holy Son, I pray. Amen.

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Illustration of Luke 2:16-20
Inspirational illustration of Luke 2:16-20 -- [The shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby [Jesus], 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 a
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The mystery, the wonder, the bewilderment, the delight, the fear, and the struggle as a new mom to God's Son were secreted in this hiding place of Mary's heart. Phil Ware reminds us that Mary treasured all the things about Jesus' birth in her heart and we can find our treasure with Jesus as he comes to us in the manger at Advent.
See All 30 Related Resources about Luke 2:16-20

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 2:16-20 — [The shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby [Jesus], 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... 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.

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About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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