“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem” Matthew 2:1
This weekend was spent taking down and putting away Christmas decorations. Many folks prefer to undecorate as soon as December 26th. Still, I adopted the tradition of waiting until at least January 6th, also known as Three Kings Day or Epiphany, many years ago while living in Germany. In Germany, January 6th is a public holiday signifying the end of the Christmas season and the day set aside to commemorate the Magi’s arrival in Bethlehem. Ironically, the scriptures tell us very little about these men, but the record of the Magi’s visit in the second chapter of Matthew leaves us with a beautiful example of how to walk with our Lord.
They walked in obedience by following the star over five hundred miles. They were committed to the truth of the prophecy and made an enormous journey all the way across the desert to find Him. Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.” While we may not be asked to journey across a desert based solely on the truth of God’s Word, we will have many circumstances in our daily lives where we must rely on our commitment to the trustworthiness of God’s word. God’s word refreshes the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy to the heart, enlightens the eyes, His decrees are firm and righteous, they are more precious than gold, and in keeping them is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11). Honestly, what more do we need to direct our paths? Whether life has us trudging through sinking sand or gliding along city streets, His Word is the only guide we need.
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him” (Matt 2:11). Why did the Magi make that arduous journey? Was it merely to bring gifts? That answer is found at the very beginning of the story. When the Wisemen arrived in Jerusalem, they asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matt 2:2). The purpose of their entire quest was one of worship and of a God probably not their own. The Child had come for everyone. The gifts were secondary, a reflection of the givers and the recipient.
The journey’s purpose was to worship, which is our purpose. “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:1-3). He doesn’t need anything we have to offer; He desires our worship. We were created to worship; it is our supreme purpose and privilege (Philippians 2:9-11). My house looks and feels empty after all the Christmas décor is gone, just like our lives would be and are empty without Jesus. May your days overflow with worship and reliance on His holy Word, with no emptiness to be found. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The picture is of King Herod’s palace in Masada, Israel taken during my March 2022 trip.