Wise Men Still Seek Him
By Jeannine Sawall
“Where is the one who has been born
king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:7 (NIV)
Something was out of the ordinary. A
star shone brilliantly in the distance demanding their attention. They had
never seen something so extraordinary before, even after studying stars for
years. The Scriptures foretold of a King who would be born…could this be the
sign? They were wise men - - the philosophers of the East - - but this was
something they couldn’t explain. They made arrangements to follow the star and,
if the prophesy was true, find the one born King of the Jews. They left prepared
to find the Messiah and to worship Him.
I love the story of the wise men.
These were unbelieving; pagan magi of the East, yet God met them in their own
personal interests: the study of the stars to draw them to Him. God made the
first move, motivating these men to come and seek Him and find Him. He shined
His extraordinary light on them to light their way to the new Messiah.
The wise men were receptive to God’s
invitation. Not only did they see the star, they had receptive hearts and were
willing to go to whatever lengths it took to find Him. It is estimated that
they traveled 900-1,000 miles to pay homage to the new King, bringing gifts to
present before Him. The gifts they offered - - gold, myrrh and frankincense - -
were fit for a king. They were willing to cross racial, geographical,
philosophical, political and relational barriers to find Jesus and worship Him.
And when they finally found Him, they responded with great joy, bowed down to
worship Him and offered the best they had to give.
The challenge to us is not to lose
sight of the One Born King of the Jews. It’s so easy to get caught up in the
business and festivities and simply push Jesus to the back of our minds. The
wise men are an example to keep His light always before us. We are to seek Him
out no matter the barriers, and we are to approach him with great joy. In His
presence, we are called to bow down and worship Him and offer our best gifts.
The magi followed the star in obedience not knowing what they would find. When
they found Jesus, their lives were never the same. Wise men (and women) still
seek Him and our lives are never the same!
GOING
DEEPER:
1. What obstacles are you willing to
cross to keep Jesus the focus of your holidays?
2. What
gifts are you willing to offer Jesus?
FURTHER
READING:
Jeannine
is a wife and mother of four great boys. She works in the property management
business. Jeannine serves in several behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood
and has a heart for those who are grieving.
