Superstar

“After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2: 9-11

So what is leading you to Jesus today? For the magi it was primarily a star. Interesting that God used what was familiar to them in order to bring them to Jesus. They were not Jews, they had no prophetic books to tell them of the coming king. They were foreigners from a distant land who trusted in the signs of nature and the night sky to point them in the right direction and when the fullness of time came, The God of the universe and the stars used a star to point them in the right direction—in the direction of Jesus. Of course part of the reason for the magi and their visit was to begin to let us know that Jesus did not just come to save the chosen people, but He came to save everyone.

What’s also interesting about the story of the magi is that when you read Matthew 2 1-12, we see that God used many things to point the magi to Jesus, not just a star. And for us reading these ancient passages, it comes alive to us here the present by showing us how many things pointed them—and us—to Jesus. How many things in these short verses pointed to Jesus and His birth? For starters, there was the star. Then Herod assembled the scribes and priests which represented the people of God. Then there was the prophetic texts they read to show us that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Then, even the wicked King Herod told them to “Go and search diligently for the child”. Finally, even in a dream was used by God to communicate with them. So God used five different means to show them the way. From nature, to religion, to the Bible, to a wicked person, to a dream; God used them all.

So again, how in your life is God leading you to Jesus. There is only ONE WAY to the Father, and that is through Jesus. He said that He was the “way the truth and the life”. But the Father uses many, many ways to point us and lead us to Jesus, who in turn will lead us to the Father. It is in God’s mercy and goodness that He seeks to show us in so many ways how to reach His Son. Perhaps in our own lives it will be something we read or a song we hear on the radio. Maybe a story told to us by a co-worker or classmate. More often than not our sickness and suffering may just be the means that the Father uses to show us the love of Christ in our lives—not that He causes the pain or suffering, but that through it He brings about the greater good of uniting us more closely to Jesus. Maybe, just maybe an enemy will speak Truth to us without even realizing it. Perhaps we will encounter someone in need that will be the concrete image of Christ for us today. And even from this person we will gain insight into finding a deeper place in our relationship with Christ.

If we are seeking the King, as the magi did—if our eyes and ears and hearts are open to finding Christ, then the signs will be everywhere; the signs that show us His love, His power, His mercy, His glory! But if we are looking for ourselves, or pleasure or simply our own interests, then nothing will appear as a sign for us, no matter how many of them God throws in our paths. God’s only desire is that you and I should come to know Him. And He will use any means to help us see Jesus.

Dear Jesus, help me, like the magi, to seek You this day and always. Help me to see the signs the Father puts in my life everyday that point me to You. Amen.