In Awe
Throughout this month we’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. The message carried out from the angels to the shepherds, that would eventually be spread throughout the world to this very day. On this day, in the city of David, the Savior of the world is born (Luke 2:11). Even as I type those words I get goosebumps when I think about the magnitude of this statement. That God loved us enough to provide a way back into a relationship with Him through the sacrifice of His son (John 3:16). That Jesus would humbly come to this world and set aside His equality with God, fully aware of the pain He would eventually experience. All for the purpose of bringing glory to God. (Philippians 2:5-11).
It’s within this realization that I find myself relating to a particular group of characters more than any others in the Christmas story, the wise men. Scripture teaches us that when they saw the child, they fell down and worshiped him. It’s a posture my heart is laid in often when I go before the Lord in prayer or worship, but this was different. The wise men literally laid down. They didn’t just lay down either, they fell down. When they came into the presence of the Savior of the world they were in awe.
Wait a Second
Hold on. We’re in Luke 2 going through the Christmas story. I’ve read through this a couple of times now and I actually don’t see anything about wisemen. They were there, right? I’ve seen them in the nativity sets in people’s homes or in their yards. I’ve heard the story a hundred times where they brought gifts like gold, frankincense, and myrrh, so where are they? Well, something you may or may not have known is that the wise men weren’t actually there around Jesus’ birth. Although Scripture doesn’t provide an exact answer to when they were there, we can come to the conclusion that He was months old. We see this because, in Matthew 2, the wise men stop by to see King Herod on their way to find Jesus. They came from the east following the star at night on a journey that could have taken upwards of four months on its own. Herod doesn’t like that the wise men are going to worship this “king of the Jews” and asks them to report back to him when they find him so he can (air finger quote) go and worship him too (air finger quote).
From there they would follow the star the rest of the way and arrive at the house that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are now staying at. The fact that they are now staying in a home shows that a period of time has passed enough for them to settle into a home. Later we see Herod’s true plan when he realizes the wise men would not be sending him the location of the child and he orders for all male children under the age of two, to be put to death (Matthew 2:16). While all of this is interesting and important for us to remember within the grand scheme of the Christmas story, there are bigger nuggets of wisdom we can gain from the wise men.
Worship and Obedience
Although the story of the wise men may seem minor within the grand scheme of the story, there are two points that stand out most about them. First, was their obedient hearts. The wise men weren’t sitting in nearby fields when they heard the news and began their journey to follow the star towards the west. They didn’t even know exactly where they were going, they simply picked up their gifts to take on the journey and followed the star. This stands out because I think about how many times I stop and simply follow when I feel God’s leading in my heart. There are times when I may say I’m too busy right now. There’s too much that needs to be done around the house or office. I can’t leave my family behind for that long. What If the people don’t want me there? What if things don’t go like I’m expecting? All of these questions and doubts creep into my mind and it’s in these moments where my hesitations can lead to disobedience. I’m not saying this happens all the time, but if I’m being honest, there are definitely times I falter in my obedience to follow God’s lead in everything.
So, as I sit and think about the obedience of the wisemen, it leaves me with the question that I think you may need to ask yourself; is there an area of my life that I need to be obedient with? Maybe it’s not a big move across the country. It could be sharing the Gospel with someone God has put in your life. It could be taking a leap of faith in your career, starting a new business endeavor, or reaching out to a family member or friend you haven’t spoken to because of a past hurt. Maybe, for you, it’s taking that first step in faith and for the first time, choosing to move from a belief in your mind that God is real and that He loves you, to asking Jesus to live in your heart. This life-changing choice is the reason why Jesus came in the first place and if this is where you’re at, reach out to us. We’d love to help you make that decision.
The second trait that stands out about the wise men is their hearts of worship. While obedience is following the leading in our lives, having a heart of worship is where true obedience comes from. Romans 12:1 implores us to live a life of worship. Paul says we should do this because we recognize the mercy of God in our lives and our only response should be to lay our lives before the Lord. This is a picture of true worship. Not just singing songs at church, but a lifestyle fully surrendered to the plans and the purpose of glorifying God. This was the response we see lived out through the wise men. They obediently follow God’s leading to not only find Jesus but also fall on the ground to praise him and adorn him with gifts fit for a king, they then ignore the direction from King Herod to tell him where Jesus was when they found Him. They do so knowing that their lives can be taken from them for their disobedience and they take another way home (Matthew 2:12).
That’s it! The heart that I long for. That no matter the call on my life or my family's lives, that I am willing to live an obedient life of worship. This is my reminder within the Christmas story. That the God of the Universe loved us all enough to give us His one and only Son. That He loves me enough, He loves you enough, He loves every single person He created enough to give us this story to believe in and be reminded of every Christmas season. Not a story of a jolly old man in a red suit that brings toys to good kids or coal for bad ones, but a “True Story” that to this very day continues to be spread throughout the world.
So What?
Over these past five weeks, we’ve shared this story with you. Each of the writers in these blogs have shared pieces of their heart and lives and how it relates to the Christmas story. With that in mind, I want to ask you something. What does it mean to you? What message are you being reminded of this season? What change do you need to make? What challenge has God laid before you that you need to be obedient and follow? Who do you need to share this with? Or do you need to truly take the next step in obedience by putting your faith into the Savior who was born of a virgin, in a town called Bethlehem, in a dirty, lowly stable? These questions aren’t mine to answer though, they’re completely up to you to figure out. My challenge for you as we wrap up this series is to spend some time in silence, and listen to God’s lead in your own heart. If you’d like to share any of this or have questions, please reach out! My email is located below and I’d love to hear from you and will share it with the team as well.
