Did they ever worry that all their effort and expense would be in vain? What if the prophecy they’d heard had been nothing but a myth? What would they say to their bosses? To their friends? To their spouses?
Unless I guard against this, I can allow the hustle, bustle, and expectations surrounding Christmas to overshadow the reason we celebrate the holiday. I can become so focused on placing the perfect decorations in just the right places, in planning a flawless meal, and finding the perfect gift for the one I love that I ignore the best gift God has ever given me–His Son. But then, as I read through the events surrounding Christ’s birth, God gently yet lovingly restores my sense of praise and wonder as I contemplate just how miraculous this historical moment was.
Each nativity character challenges and inspires me. Through Mary and Joseph’s courageous obedience, I sense God calling me to find ways to put feet to my faith. The shepherds who joyfully proclaimed Christ’s birth encourage me to lift my voice in praise.
But it’s the wise men who traveled from another country to see the “King of the Jews” that most intrigue me. Perhaps because, as prestigious Gentiles, they seem the least likely to bow at His feet.
These pilgrims teach me a great deal regarding what it means to worship our Lord.
1. God stirs the heart, but I must respond.
As I contemplate the events recorded in Luke chapter one, I can’t help but think about all those who did and didn’t come to bow before Christ’s manger. We know many in Bethlehem and Jerusalem must have heard about the coming of the long-promised Messiah. According to Scripture, after angels told the shepherds about Christ’s birth, they rushed into the village to see the God-child for themselves. Then, they told everyone (which is hyperbole for a lot of people) what had occurred, including all the angels' proclamations regarding God’s Son. And while verse 18 says all who heard their story “were astonished,” we don’t see anyone doing anything about their amazement.
Then there was Anna, the prophetess who, upon seeing the infant Messiah, “talked about the child to everyone.” This is, again, hyperbole for numerous people, “who were waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.” But if those she spoke to did anything more than marvel, Scripture doesn’t record this. Most of them, it seems, displayed an inactive, perhaps even lazy, intrigue.
But then we see the Magi, whom some scholars believe traveled from Babylon, or modern-day Iran. This would’ve been over 1,600 miles, most likely by camel. In other words, this would have taken them weeks.
Here’s what I find beautiful: scholars suggest these men were probably highly-learned astrologers, which means, in using a star, God drew them to His Son in a way they’d understand. Because they responded in faith, they experienced a personal encounter with the incarnate God.
Each day, that same loving, attentive God reaches out to you and me, beckoning us to rest in His presence. The question is, will we respond like the villagers who marveled at the good news but remained home, or like the wise men who followed a star, night after night until they encountered Christ?
2. Worship often costs us something.
This journey the Magi embarked on wasn’t convenient or quick. It cost them time, energy, and whatever provisions they used or replenished along the way. They also brought three expensive gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh, trusting that, over a thousand miles later, they would find the one they sought.
Our worship often comes at a cost as well. We probably won’t have to cross the Palestinian wilderness, but we might need to close our computers, turn off the television, and silence our phones for the evening. Or perhaps God will call us to show our love through serving others, donating to a missionary family, or opening our home to someone in need.
Romans 12:1 tells us to offer our whole selves–our time, dreams, daily agenda, insecurities, and fears–to God as a living sacrifice, for “this is your true and proper worship” (NIV).
In other words, our worship extends far beyond what we sing on Sunday morning; it encompasses our entire lives. Although such surrendered living will come at a cost, the intimacy we gain with Christ will more than compensate for any loss.
3. Worship often involves risk.
Although the gospels reveal little regarding who the magi were or how they spent their time, scholars have been able to formulate a probable history based on Old Testament passages and extra-biblical sources. For example, Scripture tells us Daniel is the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon (Daniel 2:48), using the Hebrew equivalent for Magi. Therefore, commentators suggest these men were highly-educated, royal advisors.
They left their careers, their families, their day-to-day plans to follow some star related to a centuries-old prophecy that had been passed down from one generation to the next. Their journey could’ve taken them sixty days roundtrip. That’s plenty of time for doubts to form. Did they ever worry that all their effort and expense would be in vain? What if the prophecy they’d heard had been nothing but a myth? What would they say to their bosses? To their friends? To their spouses?
Maybe they understood the bigger risk was not responding and missing an encounter with the incarnate God. And so, they gathered their things, said their goodbyes, and headed to Israel to see the baby King. Upon reaching their destination, they were filled with great joy and bowed down to worship the child.
Often our worship involves risk as well. It takes courage to lead our family in prayer at dinnertime when eating with relatives who are hostile to the gospel. God might lead us to share our testimony with a coworker or to ask for time off to serve the poor. Or He might ask us to show our worship in how we spend our money, purchasing less for our children so that we can buy gifts for foster kids. But, however God guides, we can trust our worshipful obedience will increase our intimacy with Him.
4. Worship involves the will.
Sometimes, like when God answers our prayers or provides an unexpected blessing, praise spontaneously wells up within us. If we only worship when we’re in the mood, however, our souls will begin to dehydrate. We might miss out on life-changing moments with Christ.
I imagine, by the time they made it to Bethlehem, the Magi were tired. No doubt they’d encountered at least a few setbacks on their journey. They might have even bickered with one another on occasion. And yet, they persevered, mile after mile, with one purpose, revealed in Matthew 2:2, when they said, “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” (NIV).
When they found Jesus, that was precisely what the Magi did. Verse 11 states, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (NIV).
Unfortunately, there are times when I don’t feel like praying, reading family devotions, or engaging in an advent activity. When I’m tired or have had a particularly busy season and would rather mindlessly watch television, I choose to worship. But so often, what began as an act of the will turns into a sweet and joyful time of connecting with my Savior.
5. Worship leads to deeper knowledge.
Although scholars can speculate, no one knows what the Magi had heard or learned about the “King of the Jews” they so diligently sought. Based on how they stopped first in Jerusalem, the nation’s capital, it seems they expected to encounter a royal family living in the palace. Instead, they found peasants living normal lives among ordinary people. Yet they showed no signs of frustration or indignation. Instead, they humbly and joyfully bowed before the child, encountering much more than a human heir. That night, they met their Creator and Redeemer.
The same Savior who is calling you and me to meet with Him this Christmas, knowing He alone is the One our souls crave.
I want to follow the wise men's example. I don’t want to seek Christ only when doing so feels easy, convenient, or as if He’s blessed me in some way. I want to honor my Lord with a costly, courageous, and determined love because that’s the type of love He deserves. The beautiful truth is, whenever I humbly yield my life to Christ, He fills my soul with the love and peace it most needs. He reminds me of what Christmas truly is about: Emmanuel, God with us.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Robert Thiemann
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.
