Thursday 26 Dec 2013

Thursday Reading: Matthew 2:7-12

Key Verse: Matthew 2:12
Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Devotion:
Though brief, this account of the wise men searching for Jesus by following the star that appeared should encourage us to do likewise. We may not see stars in the sky that we can follow but we will certainly see indications and encouragement if we look for it. The pictures we have on Christmas cards depict this bright star sitting over a stable and three wise men coming to give gifts to the baby in the manger. This is not what we are told here. Getting to have an audience with the king was certainly not a quick phone call away; they would have had to come walking or on camels or another ride and request and audience and then prepare for that audience… it could have been weeks or months…

Then they would have had to get ready to go searching all around the land for the baby knowing that as they travelled the child would also be growing up. The magi were probably astrologers or would have had astrologers with them so looking up at the stars and checking for differences or planetary alignments was normal for them. If a huge star appeared and hovered over a single place I think many more people would have been gathering at that place to see what was happening.

What was happening was that God was showing them what He wanted them to see and He was trying to guide them to the Christ child. They were shown signs that they would have understood or been able to interpret. They did this and began to be able to listen to God through them trusting more in what they were shown. So when God wanted to warn them about not going back to Herod, it was not a big issue to get them to listen to a dream.

When we obey God and try to listen, we can hear! If we go along with our normal lives and just do things we think we should, we will probably not hear God clearly. He wants to be able to live in our lives and not as someone on the outside shouting the odds trying to get through to us! God is very real and needs to be a constant part of our lives so that we can listen and obey Him, being kept safe and secure every day!

Points to Ponder:
Do you work with God?

Is He having to shout over the noise in your life?