Today we took down all our Christmas decorations and it feels like I have my house back! There's something so festive about putting up the tree, stockings, nativity for Christmas. But then there's something so completely satisfying about putting it all away until next year. The star on top of our tree packed with ornaments, nestled safe.
A fresh start. A new beginning.
I've not been one who has grown up in the tradition of following the church calendar, but tonight I stumbled upon January 6th being Epiphany. "Appearance" or "Manifestation." Traditionally when we celebrate when the Wise Men, or Magi, came to visit Jesus.
When gentiles were brought closer, even from the very beginning.
This year, for some reason, I've thought about the wise men a lot. And I've thought about the star. How God made this one star simply appear; when once there was an empty space of black ink, these men had studied the skies enough to know that empty space was filled with all-the-sudden glorious light.
"Look up into the heavens. Who created the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing." Isaiah 40: 26
Not a single one is missing. And a single one appeared. Only our Creator God has the power to do this. And something (or Someone) in them said: "Follow it."
Only found in Matthew 2 (the gospel my Sunday morning Bible study ladies are in the middle of right now!), this story says they come from afar to worship: "Tell us where he is so we may worship Him." They head to Bethlehem, and 'once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they shouted joyfully." (Matthew 2: 9-10).
What an adventure! They must have been overjoyed that finally this quest that had led them from their homeland, then into the hands of an evil King Harod, had finally stopped moving. Because there He was. They had arrived.
And they do what they came for. "They bowed down and worshipped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11).
What a journey to have worship be the final destination.
I find that sometimes I am enamored with the process of the Spirit's guidance. The big flashy star. The adventure that follows.
Tonight, instead, I want to remember that worship is the 'why' behind the wonder.
When the Holy Spirit gives words, shows visions, guides to new lands - no matter how miraculously - the reason is always and forever to worship the One who made the stars in the first place.
The following verses after Isaiah 40:26 (above) bring me such comfort tonight:
"O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in [or wait on] the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40: 27-31
He's the Creator of all the heavens and all the earth. He can make stars appear from nothing. Stars that lead men from far away on a grand adventure we celebrate every January 6th.
But even so, even given all this, He is not far away. He's not too big for us. 'How can we say the Lord does not see our troubles?' He sees you. He sees me. He is one who never grows tired or weary, and yet He sees when we do. In this season, burned out and disillusioned, He sees me.
And this Scripture says that He, the Star-Maker, gives new strength in this new year. He's giving me wings. I will not just fly, but soar. I will run. In this season, I will not faint.
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