I woke up this morning thinking about the wise men. I don’t believe I have ever given them much thought. Without studying, I let my mind ponder and wonder. I thought of their title of “kings” and all that that entails; power, status, authority. I thought of how they temporarily stepped away from life as they knew it to follow a star…that they believed would lead them to a Savior. Can you imagine the reactions of those who knew? I would imagine it was thought outrageous to say the least.
This evening I studied and found out–they were not kings at all; no mention of them being rulers of any kind in the Gospels. They were, in fact, scientists, even astrologists. They were called Magi and thought to be part of an occult. Their practices involving religion and astrology led to the term “magic”. Who knew?
This is actually even more fascinating to me–that they would believe in a Messiah and bother to find Him…and finally worship and adore Him.
Scripture says when they saw the star stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. They knew the Savior had been born. Are we overwhelmed with joy at the thought of our Savior being born? Is this the heart of our celebrating Christmas? Let’s be honest, even if it’s ugly.
I thought of their commitment and faithfulness in their journey-they were focused and unwavering. They were diligently seeking Him…can we say the same?
Scripture tells us when they saw the child they knelt down…they knelt down; a posture of humility, of submission. Kings (my original thought. Astrologers/scientists believed to be an occult)…bowing to a child. Are we immediately motivated to kneel in the presence of our Savior? Beyond humility and even the physical act of kneeling, isn’t it fair to say our submission to Him definitely needs refining?
The next scripture spoke loudly to me, then opening their treasure chests…have we opened our treasure chests as an offering to Him? Have we offered Him what is most precious to us? Our families? Our health? Our plans? Do we park in the truth of all that we have is His? Do our lives reflect as such?
If this isn’t enough food for thought–it finishes, and having been warned…they left for their own country by another path. Immediately my mind is whirling of the warnings we receive in God’s word. I am also reminded that this is not my home; I am on a mission trip so to speak–I am a citizen of heaven. Heaven is “my own country by another path”.
Has He changed your life? Has he changed your direction? Has He changed you?? I don’t mean a little, I mean broke apart–all the lies and wounds spilled out and put back together with His crazy grace and boundless love? If so–we will never be the same. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift . A precious baby, born in the lowliest of ways, walking purposefully in his journey with total submission and humility to our God; even to death…to save us.
171220
Marla Geiger 