15 October 2003

"Where is the one who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star rising and have come to worship him."

Matthew chapter 2 remarks about the star that heralded the birth of Jesus Christ. Twice it points out how it guided the wise men to Judea and eventually Bethlehem so that they could worship the king of the Jews. I'm curious to know what that celestial event was. Was it a star or perhaps a comet or some other special effect worked by the Father to mark the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ? I don't really know. I'm not curious enough to lose sleep over it. However, whatever it was, it had to be big.

So why did Herod miss it? Why did Herod not see the star that was rising over Bethlehem? Why did this visit from the wise men call him to gather the chief priests and scribes to figure out where the Messiah was to be born; shouldn't he have known this himself? Was he too busy? Did he see it and not care? Was he missing the message of God that was right there before his eyes?

Do I sometimes miss the message of God that is right here before my eyes? I can't remember the last time I have just looked up at the stars for no good reason. It's been a while since I last searched the Scriptures for the promises that God makes to me and all believers. Before we get too hard on Herod for missing the star, we need to ask ourselves how perceptive we are to the signs and wonders of God that are going on around us as we speak.

One of the things that the story of the wise men points out to us is how the nations realized that there was something special happening here but Herod and the other Jews missed it. Today, we need to look around and see what God is doing, lest there be a star over our towns and we don't even see it.

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