Advent
Meditation
December
19th
27.
Simple Seekers
Matt
2:9,10 After they had heard
the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the
east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child
was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Because
we live in a scientific age, because we have TV's, Hi-Fi's, and Computers,
and because many of us work in activities that are constantly measuring
our work or our progress or our development, we tend to think we are
clever people who have got life under control. The arrival of so-called
‘reality shows' on TV should, however, alert us to the true reality
of life. Watching families where the parents have lost control, families
where the main partners are only too glad to get out and try a swap,
or watching ‘Big-Brother' or ‘Get me out of here' shows, should make
us realize that many of us are far from in control of our lives. We
are actually unable to be in control and ‘be nice'. Nevertheless we
do so often think we've got it sorted, simply because we know lots of
information or have been through certain sorts of training. This makes
us people who are not good in the simple faith realm of God's kingdom.
Yet
that is what believers, Christians, are called to do, to have simple
faith. Now these ‘wise men' put us to shame. They've come all this way
because ‘something' tells them there is a new super-king arrived on
the planet who deserves their worship. They've got the last stage guidance
from the leaders in Jerusalem
who, you might note, don't come with them – and they still follow the
star! He's in Bethlehem ,
they've been told, so why not just go straight there? Do you see what
happens when you start thinking about aspects of this story? You have
to start asking questions.
What
are they actually doing? They are checking their guidance with the guidance
of the people of Jerusalem .
But a star???? A meteorite perhaps? What sort of guidance about something
that has happened on the earth, is that? Pretty freaky! Now don't take
this as an excuse to read your ‘stars' in the paper. Doing that is a
man-centred, man-devised, and a sign of being godless. If you need to
think about that, just ask yourself, does ‘reading the stars' draw you
close to God and evoke worship in you? No? Well that's what following
this star did for these men!
Seriously,
the simplicity of these men leaves our so-called modern minds befuddled.
They leave us with our mouths hanging open. They know what they're doing,
these men, and it's so simple! God has told them to follow a star. How
do I know that? Well think about the possibilities. Would Satan tell
them to go and worship Jesus? I think not! Who else knows about this?
No one! As we might say today, the proof of the pudding is in the eating!
These men travel hundreds of miles – without global positioning satellite
navigation systems – and they arrive exactly at the place where the
baby has been born! This may be freaky guidance – but it works!
That's
where we come back to simple faith. It may be that just recently you've
responded to the promptings of these meditations and you've entered
a new-found relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Welcome to the
‘Walking by Faith Club'! What is that? It's being one of God's kids,
being led by His Holy Spirit in your daily walk with Him, responding
to the promptings He gives you, checking it against His word, the Bible,
and then just stepping out. You know what happens when you do that?
You encounter Jesus and you realise the wonder of what is happening,
you are overjoyed, and you worship! Go for it! The Wise Men did, and
it worked for them!
If
you wish to e-mail us any comment on this meditation please click here
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tony.thomas@rochfordcc.co.uk
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