The stories and accounts of the Bible are living. They are as true for us today as they were when they occurred long ago.
The three Magi were regular people from a faraway land, probably Babylon.
We, too, all come from faraway places, experiences, and paradigms.
The Magi were curious men, astrologers, mystics, dream interpreters, and magicians. They were searching for answers.
Many of us are searching for answers. Why was I born? What’s the purpose of my life? Does my life even matter?
The Magi saw a bright moving Star in the sky and decided to follow it.
Hope is like a star. We see it glittering before us but we just can’t reach it.
Possibly the Star was the Magi’s answer to the Messianic expectation of the Jews. Even King Herod thought there was a king hiding somewhere.
Opportunities, possibilities, investments, and lottery tickets seem to promise happiness forever, and give to us everything we have ever desired. Maybe even the chance to be royalty, have a full bank account, and to travel first class.
Their camels loaded with gold, frankincense and myrrh, the Magi traveled with attendants and guards, for there was great danger of tribal piracy along the way. The treasures they carried could stave off murderous savages and save the lives of the Wise men following the Star.
What is protecting you - your family, savings, health? Do you hold onto them for dear life? How safe in this world would you be without your treasures?
Finally the Star in the sky led the travelers not to a great castle or even fancy tent, but to a stable in Bethlehem, and a makeshift manger.
Sometimes things just don’t turn out the way we planned. A job offers no security. A friend is dishonest. Marriage is a struggle. There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
They entered in and saw Him – the Baby. Falling to their knees weeping, their treasures, now gifts, strewn all about in the hay and dung, the great Magi, wise men to kings, worshipped the Child and gave Him all that they had.
An encounter with Christ strips us of everything that keeps us away from the Life He offers us. As we surrender everything we have been holding onto so tightly for such a long way, we can do nothing but wholly and freely worship Him Who gave all for us.
The Magi went home another way. Changed forever, they returned to their people with the great news that the promised Messiah had come!
The Magi had an epiphany when they saw the Christ Child. What they once believed no longer mattered because they knew God was real and living among them. This is God’s gift to us every Christmas, to this day. The Christ Child is born in us and our lives are made new in Him!
If you have not yet encountered Christ, but have lingered just outside His door with all of your stuff, enter in this Christmas Eve, lay down all of yourself and worship Him. You, too, will go home another way.