Section 3: The Light Dawns
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-23, Jeremiah 31:15-17
The wise men have always been, at least to me, some of the most perplexing parts of the traditional Christmas story. They appear in nativity sets, kids always play them in pageants, and we even sing traditional hymns about them. The perplexing piece is, however, that Scripture doesn’t really lead us to include them at Christmas time. And yet, their story reflects an unavoidable and beautiful truth about Jesus: you don’t have to fit a script to worship Him.
The magi came to Jesus after His birth; scholars suggest even up to two years after He was born. Magi were non-Jewish mystics who studied astrology and had a special relationship, they believed, with the stars. These magi heard whispers of a king born and saw an unusual star, which they felt compelled to follow. So they set off with gifts to see who the star portended.
When the magi arrived, though, Scripture is clear about what happened. These men of magic and stars fell immediately to their knees in the presence of Jesus. They worshiped Him. They gave Him fine gifts, of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And even though the wicked King Herod had instructed them to tell him where this baby King was, they fled in another direction. They worshiped and they believed. They were changed.
This is the gift of our King Jesus. No matter why or when or how you come to Him, His majesty and glory are undeniable. His presence commands us to fall to our knees and worship; He is that great, that awesome, that good. The magi left home following a hunch and a burning ball of gas in the night sky; they left Mary and Joseph’s home with a newfound knowledge of what was good and true. They, the first Gentiles to worship the Messiah, show us in their story how powerful the love of Christ is.
And so even if they don’t exactly fit in the Christmas story chronologically, the magi show us what it means to be in the presence of Jesus, God incarnate. God with us. May we soak in the goodness and presence of our Lord this season, no matter where we’ve been or what brought us to this place. May we fall on our knees and worship Him.
Written by Melanie Rainer
So true thank you ERB for this. Interestingly I was having this conversation with my son when I dropped him off at work.
I’m having trouble sleeping. I keep thinking in the middle of the night about Tanner’s last days. Did I do all I could have? Because of Covid, our first trip to the ER they sent us home. Saying they didn’t want him there because he was immunosuppressed. I couldn’t believe it. I had to call 911 that same night. They took us to a different hospital. I keep replaying it all. I need to stop questioning all of it. I’m so mad about Covid and how it affected Tanner’s last two years of life. I see people as selfish not wanting to protect those that couldn’t protect themselves. It has all become so political. I NEED to stop. God help me take my focus off of what I cannot change and put it back onto You. I need peace. I need sleep. I’m having a hard time getting all I could from this study because I’m so tired. Please pray that God blessed me with peace knowing I did all I could.
So good Dorthy, loves those thoughts, and how EVERYTHING comes together in every detail!! The podcast this week is really good too! Its funny how I would try to read the “bible in a year” years ago, and found it so hard to read and study! She Reads Truth has been so amazing and helpful over these last several years to really grasp and understand. God will keep growing you when you are intend to study His word. I remember I would pray for God to lead me, and bring me big things to testify to His glory, but He was working in me to first know Him on a deeper level.
Keep sharing the light, and sharing SRT study and podcast! We must bring more people into the light, it doesn’t end with Christmas, it continues! I can’t wait to see what the Lord will bring! We will rejoice through the bad and the good, whatever shall come. -R
❤️
Melanie’s devotion left me with several thoughts: 1.) Were the Wise Men/Magi actually the first gentiles to worship Christ, what about the shepherds, do we know for sure they were Jewish, they may have been gentiles also. 2.) Here’s a child who commands so much authority that even royalty from other countries bow down on their knees to Him!! WOW!! 3.) I think of just the AWESOMENESS of being there. 4.) The gifts they brought and knowing these items would be needed in the future. The gold for the trip to Egypt. The frankincense was used later for prayer and worship (according to what I have found out). And the myrrh was used for Christ burial. This is so AMAZING to think about how they would know what to bring.
BUT GOD, then I think about it further and realize that God had a hand in it and knew what He was doing.
“No matter why or when or how you come to Him, His majesty and glory are undeniable. His presence commands us to fall to our knees and worship; He is that great, that awesome, that good.” These statements makes me want to worship the Lord even more. Thank you Melanie for a great devotion today.
Sisters be blessed and don’t forget to bring your gift(s) to the Lord no matter how big or small, no matter talent or monetary or prayer.
By Sarah Bessey
Book that talks about God and Jesus’ love for women.
“Jesus Feminist” by Sarah Bessey. A book all about how God and Jesus love women. It’s not about feminism, it’s about Jesus’ radical acceptance and love.
“Jesus Feminist