When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
—Luke 1:37

There always comes a time to act. The angels had appeared, given their message, and departed into heaven. The shepherds had several choices. 

They could dismiss the message, they could stay right where they were and go to bed for the rest of the night, they could sit and discuss with one another what it all meant, or they could get up and go to Bethlehem. When the angels left, they knew it was time to act. It was time to exercise faith in what they had been told. It was time to trust that they were about to witness a miracle.

We sometimes find it difficult to make decisions in our lives when there are so many options, so many possibilities. We don't want to make a wrong choice and find that we ended up wasting time, money, or energy. We often fail to act because we are so uncertain, or because we lack faith in what is on the other side of our action. 

God puts all kinds of signs in front of us to help us, and we have the capacity to find clues within ourselves about how we should move forward, and yet still, we may be hesitant to do what needs to be done. But, there always comes the moment when it is time to act. 

When we just get up and go toward the Bethlehems in our own lives, we are amazed to find that the signs given to us by God led us exactly where we needed to be.

Gracious God, help me listen until it is time to act. Then let me act in faith knowing that your spirit is leading me.

^{Copyright © 2009 Cleophes Carter Jr.}