“We saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2
Astronomers tell us there are millions and millions of stars in the sky. Isn’t it fascinating to consider that the wise men from the East identified the one and only star, “His star” the one that was able to lead them to the Christ child? How did they do it? One would think that for an ordinary person to pick such a star would be even greater odds than picking a winner in a national lottery. And yet, throughout the centuries to this very day, countless numbers of ordinary people continue to see His star all the time and as they follow it, eventually it leads to Jesus. How does God do that?
We dare not get hung up on a star as the instrumentation of God’s guidance. A star is merely a sign that God uses to show us the way to Jesus. Stars come in all forms and shapes. More often than not they look more like unusual circumstances or the special and/or ordinary people God places in our lives. They can also be things we see or things we hear. Or even things we feel or merely sense. But when God initiates them, and we notice them and decide to follow them, good things happen.
For instance, several months ago on a Saturday, a young woman struggling with depression and despair was driving her car on the 35W freeway that leads into Minneapolis. On an impulse she took the approaching exit and headed north. As she drove she began to get control of her thoughts and decided she had best head back to the freeway. Looking for a place to turn around she swung into the next driveway. As providence would have it, the driveway she chose was the one leading into the Bridgewood Community Church parking lot. As she turned she noticed our large electronic sign at the entrance. It was cycling through our service time information with the tag on the end flashing the words “God Loves You!” When she saw the digital lights form those three words it was like seeing His Star. Immediately the message brought a calm to her and she decided right then and there that she would follow that star and return the next day to attend a church service.
That particular Sunday, as only God can arrange it, the topic in the sermon series based in the Book of Psalms was from Psalm 69 dealing with depression. The message entitled, “What To Do When You’re Feeling Blue” spoke to her heart and ignited in her a hunger for God. The following Sunday she returned dragging her boyfriend with her and both have been coming ever since. As she related this story to me she confessed with tears in her eyes, all she cares about now is getting to know Jesus better and worshipping Him. Following His star will do that to a person.
Unfortunately there are millions of other stars out there we can choose follow as well. We are fascinated or lured by them, and can sometimes even find ourselves emulating our life after them. They are distractions and counterfeits that keep us from following His star. They will not lead us to worship Jesus. To the contrary they point us and encourage us to worshipping everything but Jesus.
But oh, His star, when we see His star, it outshines all the others. All grow dim in contrast to the brightness of His star which emanates such glory and grace. His star blinks “God Loves You.” His star beckons “come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing. Come, adore on bended knee, Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my faithful blog readers! Thank you for reading this humble blog and for your many encouragements throughout the year. Let’s keep following His star!!
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