Day 5 of the Journey with the Magi…
Matthew 2:9-11a “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him…”
The wise men continued on their journey and still not knowing the threat King Herod was to Jesus or the risk they could unintentionally bring upon the baby they ventured on with the intent to return to King Herod as they had been instructed to. They were on the border of endangering not only the Messiah, themselves but also the salvation of the world. God could have stopped their journey there–He could have redirected them or even completely wiped them out of the story to protect His son…but He is bigger than King Herod–and the wise men and Jesus had NOTHING to fear…not ever from the most powerful rulers on Earth. God wanted the wise men to finish the story He was writing just for them…He loved the wise men and He wanted them to worship and experience the joy of His Son. God would protect them, guide them and even warn them. It would be so important for them to hear God’s voice and to be able to recognize His directing them.
God continued to lead the wise men all the way to Jesus by the star–and Matthew shows us just how long the journey really was as by the time they got there they were no longer in the stable but in “the house” Mary and Joseph lived in. He was now a toddler–and the wise men had been traveling during every milestone moment of Jesus’s first year just to see Him and worship Him.
They saw the child (no longer a baby!) with his mother Mary–and what did they do? Can you imagine how AMAZING this was?! “They bowed down and worshiped him.”
For 1-2 years they had traveled–enduring storms, battles, wild animals, fatigue. They had been brought to King Herod and for weeks they had questioned together what they should do–as they hadn’t had a peace about Kind Herod when they were in his presence. They had kept the treasures safe–resisted any temptation to sell them in return for food or stay…and now–they saw Him. And upon seeing Him with Mary–they knew. They knew EXACTLY who He was! Can you imagine?! And they hit their knees–and worshiped Him.
I can’t imagine anything more grand…anything more beautiful…anything more worth a journey like theirs. And Mary…she got to worship Him every day. Oh…what a blessed calling! And this…too we are offered.
One day–we too will see this King–and when we do–there will be no doubt of who this King is. And we, too, will not even have to think about what to do next as we drop to our knees and worship!
I can’t wait to explain tomorrow the importance of each gift–but today let us just reflect with the children on the wise men seeing Jesus for the first time…what that must have been like…and how it led them to worship. How do you worship Jesus? Every day–what does it look like? What are different ways we worship?
Tomorrow we will see the wise men present the gifts…and learn the significance of each one. But for now–let us enter in with the wise men into the heart of worship.
Dear God,
Thank you so much for sending Your son Jesus. How majestic You are and how majestic is Your Son! We journey like the wise men with the longing to one day see Jesus face to face–what a day that will be! Thank you for being with the wise men and for guiding them to Jesus. Thank you for being with us each day and for guiding us closer to Jesus. We want to worship you now and through out the day in the way we act, the way we love and the way we live. We worship you and love you. Amen.
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
For You alone are worthy
For You alone are worthy
For You alone are worthy
Christ the Lord
We’ll give You all the glory
We’ll give You all the glory
We’ll give You all the glory
Christ the Lord
How have you seen and experienced Jesus today? Write it down…put it in your family’s treasure box–to remember His hand in your life and celebrate His presence as He leads and guide you. What a gift we have in Jesus!
by admin