Born in a Barn: Jesus’ Messy Mission — Wednesday
Matthew 2:1
…Magi from the east came to Jerusalem… (NIV)
Ever been on a road trip? Me too. When my son lived in New York City, we made the 712-mile drive to visit him many times. Along the way, we would stop at various places for a good meal or to visit a tourist attraction. If you’ve ever taken a road trip, you’re aware that unexpected things happen, too. Try as we may, we can’t plan for every contingency.
The Bible talks a lot about road trips. Moses led the children of Israel on a 40-year road trip from Egypt to the Promised Land! Later, the entire nation of Israel was taken on a road trip to captivity in Babylon; that one lasted 70 years. But a road trip unique to the Christmas story is the journey of the wise men from the east to find “the one who has been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). There’s no way to know how lengthy their road trip was. At a minimum, it would’ve been several months before they reached Jerusalem to ask for further directions, and then on to Bethlehem.
I think most people who come to Jesus fall into one of two categories. First, there are those whom He just surprises one day. A friend of mine described being “ambushed” by Jesus. “He just showed up and changed everything,” he remarked. You’ll recall that the same thing happened to the shepherds in the fields on the outskirts of Bethlehem. They looked up, and “BAM!” There was a blinding light, and a sky full of angels—one of whom announced, “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:10, NLT).
For the rest of us, the journey to Jesus isn’t quite so dramatic. For some, it’s a years-long trek as we try to ascertain the meaning of life and our particular place in the grand scheme of things. But that spiritual road trip eventually brought us to a new place, a place of joy and peace with God. Aren’t you glad?
That’s what happened with the Magi. They sensed God’s guidance and simply followed the path. They were outsiders, not insiders. They weren’t even Jews, and they weren’t particularly religious, but they followed God’s leading and ended up discovering His Son, as you and I have. Here’s the principle: Follow the light you have, and God will always give you more light. Trust Him and see.
Wednesday’s Reflection
We’re all outsiders made insiders by the grace of God. Never lose the wonder. Reflect on that today. Where would you be without God’s guidance and grace? Here’s a passage to ponder. By the way, be sure to memorize verse 13.
