Matthew 2:9

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.”

Who were the Magi? No one really knows. They were wise. They studied the Heavens and understood that something major was happening when a new star appeared:  a King was being born in Israel. They made an arduous journey to worship this baby. The Magi dropped everything to follow the Star to the Christ Child, the incarnation of the Eternal Living God. How far did they travel? 500 miles? We don’t know. They brought gifts:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They mounted their camels and headed West! They slept under the skies, gazing at the sparkling stars, paying rapt attention to the new Star. Modern humans cannot imagine how spectacular the night skies were before electric lights.

There is beauty in this story. It is not important if the “Star” was a comet, a supernova, a conjunction of bright planets, or a magical new creation by God. What is important is that the Magi followed the Star to Jesus and worshipped Him. Their gifts were important. The gold may have paid for Joseph and Mary to take Jesus to Egypt to avoid the murderous King Herod.

The Magi were not led to a palace but to a stable where a poor young couple cared for a baby. This baby became a Teacher and Healer who suffered and died for us so that we could be reconciled to God. The Light of Jesus shines in the darkness of this world. The Magi saw the light of the Star that led them to a humble baby boy. They knelt and worshipped Jesus. This Advent, like the Magi, I want to follow the beautiful Star to Jesus, lay down my gifts, and worship Him, as the Wise Men did long ago.

Contributed by Don Steinkraus