OhNo! What do we do now? Week 3: Don't Hesitate

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on the message:

Day 1: God Chooses the Unlikely Reading: Luke 2:8-20 Devotional: God announced the birth of His Son not to kings or religious elite, but to lowly shepherds—social outcasts considered unworthy and untrustworthy. This divine choice reveals a profound truth: God delights in using the unlikely to accomplish the extraordinary. The shepherds' lack of education, status, or ceremonial cleanliness didn't disqualify them from receiving heaven's greatest announcement. Today, you may feel inadequate, overlooked, or unworthy to be used by God. Yet God sees beyond your limitations to your availability. He doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called. Your past doesn't determine your purpose. God's grace reaches the unreachable and uses the unusable. Will you accept that you are chosen? Reflection Question: What feelings of inadequacy keep you from believing God can use you powerfully?

Day 2: The Urgency of Obedience Reading: Luke 2:15-16; James 1:22-25 Devotional: When the angels departed, the shepherds didn't form a committee, create a strategic plan, or wait for perfect conditions. Scripture says they "hurried" to Bethlehem with no hesitation. Their immediate obedience teaches us about spiritual urgency. How often do we hesitate when God prompts us? We overthink, make excuses, or wait for more information. But the shepherds understood that divine moments require immediate action. Life is measured not in time but in moments—and moments of obedience can change everything. Joseph didn't need all the details to obey immediately. You don't have to understand completely to obey immediately. When God prompts your heart, don't delay. That conversation, that invitation, that act of kindness—it might be the divine appointment someone desperately needs. Reflection Question: What has God been prompting you to do that you've been hesitating to obey?

Day 3: Boldness Overcomes Fear Reading: Acts 4:13-20; 2 Timothy 1:7-8 Devotional: The shepherds had every reason to stay silent. They were despised, their testimony rejected, their presence unwelcome in polite society. Yet they "told everyone" about Jesus. Their boldness wasn't rooted in their credentials but in their encounter with Christ. When your life is genuinely transformed by Jesus, you cannot keep silent regardless of what others think. We often hesitate to share our faith because we fear rejection, feel inadequate, or worry about being pushy. But one moment of boldness can change someone's life forever. God hasn't given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. The world needs your testimony. Someone in your sphere of influence is waiting for you to be brave enough to share the hope you carry. Reflection Question: Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus, and what fear is holding you back from telling them?

Day 4: Every Moment Matters Reading: Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 4:2-6 Devotional: Life isn't measured by time; it's measured in moments. The shepherds experienced one night that changed their entire existence and impacted human history. You never know which seemingly ordinary conversation might be a divine appointment orchestrated by God. That person at the coffee shop, your coworker, your neighbor—these aren't random encounters. God is constantly preparing hearts and creating opportunities for His people to share His love. The question is: will you have eyes to see and ears to hear when He prompts you? This Christmas season especially, people's hearts are uniquely open to spiritual conversations. Don't miss your moment. Be alert, be prayerful, be ready. One moment of boldness, one word of faith, one invitation to church could be the turning point in someone's eternal destiny. Reflection Question: How can you be more intentionally aware of divine appointments God places in your path?

Day 5: No One Is Too Far Reading: Romans 5:6-8; 1 Timothy 1:15-16 Devotional: God chose shepherds—the lowest of society—to receive the announcement of the Messiah's birth, declaring that no one is too far from God's reach, no one too low for God's love, and no sin too great for God's grace. This is the heart of the Gospel. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus came not for the righteous but for sinners, not for the healthy but for the sick. That person you've given up on? God hasn't. That family member who seems beyond hope? They're not. Keep praying, keep believing, keep sharing. God's grace is sufficient, His mercy is endless, and His love never fails. The same grace that saved you is available to everyone. Don't hesitate to share this good news because you never know how God might use your boldness to change a life. Reflection Question: Who have you given up praying for that God is calling you to intercede for again?