Hey Brad,
Long time, no hear.
Good to have you back on the list.
Vinny
----- Original Message -----
From: "MV" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 9:33 AM
Subject: Thinking out loud
> 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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