Coming at you from a different email account, don't freak out Phil. Ever
hear of how folks will take their Bible and either open it up, or like
randomly flip it in the air, let it hit the surface of the desk, put their
finger on it and begin reading, knowing absolutely that is the word from
God to them for their quest in life? I'd not recommend that for us
computer users, it could be an electrifying experience which I can pretty
much guarantee is not the Holy Spirit transcending through your fingers but
rather likely your hard disk surging your fingernails off, so I'd not
recommend fleecing your computer by flipping it around and jamming fingers
in it. That has nothing to do with my thoughts , but it came to mind as I
sat here and so out it came as usual.
The thought I was thinking on, and am still thinking on out loud here even,
and afterwards no doubt, is when I decided to begin reading in Matthew, you
know after the begots? This one begot this one, that one begot that one,
and the doubtless all important genealogy but, less interesting in many
applications nonetheless? Anyway, getting past that I read the first few
passages as follows...
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the
king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has
been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come
to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of
the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said
to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the
prophet: 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG
THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL
SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" Then Herod secretly called the magi and
determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to
Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you
have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."
After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had
seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the
place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced
exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child
with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then,
opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod,
the magi left for their own country by another way.-- Matthew 2:1-12
I didn't get far and my eye was caught, so to speak, on the word "magi". I
thought "What is that anyway? what is a magi". I've always remembered the
story in my mind of the three wise men being astute men of great knowledge
and of almost majestically keen sense of God. When I was a kid I referred
to them as "the three wise guys", I think I confused them with the Three
Stooges somehow, nyuck nyuck nyuck anyway I digress. Looking up the word
"magi" in the original language definition I was surprised to see magi
meaning eastern scientist, astrologer, sorcerer, implying what we've
gotten our word today of "magician". Could that be right? These quote,
"wise men" as I came to know them were no more than role models for Cleo
the Psychic, Harry Houdini, and Dionne Warwick? I thought these men were
of great wisdom, well educated, scholars of which to be greatly respected.
And no doubt they probably were by many, yet knowing their position in
life, star gazers, they either happened along someone to change their trust
or guide in life, or God just intruded on their life and spoke to them
where to go and how to proceed. I began to think of if these men, seekers
of knowledge through stars and sorcery were able to hear from God and
desire to travel all that way to worship a baby, how much easier might it
ought to be for his kids who hold him as the only deity, the truth and
light of life, and are seeking him alone earnestly? I see the three amigos
started off missing the mark, they followed a star and they landed in
Jerusalem asking "OK man, like, where's the Savior babe? Oh, Cleo, as long
as we're in town here you better pick up some more tea leaves I drank the
last of them last night, mind picking up some Camomile this time?" Ahem...
anyway, so they got Herod's attention with their asking and he called a
meeting with all his folks and found that the Savior would be born in
Bethlehem. Evidently the three amigos were not scholars of the Bible or
they'd never landed in Jerusalem and went straight away to Bethlehem, and
yet somehow they knew about a king to be born to the Jews and that a star
would shine in his honor. They were intuitive enough to hear God in a dream
to not return to Jerusalem. What ever became of these three men? Why were
they important enough to even mention? I mean Their out star gazing, find a
star that they figure was the star to lead them to a king child, they
probably knew that much from their studies in astrology but didn't know
prophecy to know it would be Bethlehem, so they head to Jerusalem, tip off
Herod, run over to Bethlehem, find Jesus, bow down, worship, give
gifts, and then leave the scene never to be heard from again in the Bible.
What's up with that? I mean they had great joy when they found him, they
bowed down and worshipped him even, but then left? As if to say...
"*looking at watch* oh man check the time dudes, well Mary? Joseph? It's
been nice and you got a far out baby there but we got to split. Check ya
later.". One thing I can walk away with from reading this is, if they,
which I assume were sort of free lance wisdom and deity seekers, looking
for secrets of the universe and mankind alike, were able to hear from God
at one point knowing they would worship the king born to them, how much
more ought we hear from him in our life if we listen. Granted we're not
meeting up with the birth of the Savior of the world, but God is no
respecter of persons is he? I can imagine that these men were indeed
educated, wise and indeed had some knowledge of a coming king. How long
they must have waited as well to see the star. I mean they must have had a
level of knowledge and expectancy to have recognized it. So how long were
they waiting. Did they look up in the sky and "they just knew", or did they
see it, clunk heads all reaching for their binoculars, telescopes and
computer generated imagery... oops got a bit crazy there, but did they have
to study it out? They had much belief to look up there and follow a star
for who knows how long. Imagine for anyone who can or could at one time
see, imagine seeing a star in the sky and following it while you are on the
ground, it is up miles in the sky, and you are actually suppose to get to
where you ought to be? That's crazy. That would be like us today not
seeing, hearing a voice from way up in the air saying "You, E-Church folks!
Hey! Yo guys! I'm up over here. just follow my voice!". How is that
possible I mean I can't levitate. So they too must have followed in a
general direction to Jerusalem but at least they got within walking
distance *grin*. Nonetheless they saw, they took action, missed the mark a
bit, but kept looking and seeking, and they found what God wanted them to
find. It took a level of belief they would get there, it took action, it
took patience, it took common sense, it took belief in what they knew in
knowledge, it took belief in what they heard from God was true, it took
many things but they found Christ. I still can't get over they left, must
have been late for an interview with the Jerusalem Inquirer or something.
Or what's the other one called "Star" hahaah astrological pun intended. So
as we seek God, I guess we need patience. God's timing may not be ours, and
the timing might not be reliant upon us at all but that of others in and
around our lives. So if God tells us something, and nothing comes of it?
Don't dismiss it, or worse change your theology to accommodate your
mountain not yet removing, but keep it prayerfully before you and wait
with belief and expectancy.
The Babbler
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