The Star

The Wise Men saw a star in the West and they followed it. They came from the east and who knows how long they traversed with The Star leading the whole way.
Ultimately The Star would lead them to Bethlehem where they would indeed meet the Savior face to face and then proceed to fall down on their own faces to worship the approximately two year old toddler named Jesus offering gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

My iWitness...

Help me out with something...

If you recall, The Star led the Wise Men to Jerusalem before making their way to Bethlehem, six miles to the south.
There they encountered King Herod and the religious leaders.
The Wise Men inquired about the new "ruler." The religious leaders said, "Yes! The prophet says that the new messiah is to be born in Bethlehem."
The Wise Men say thank you very much and go on their way.

A couple of things stand out here that I need help with...

1. Going to Jerusalem first was out of the way. Why go to Jerusalem? The Star could and should have led them straight to Bethlehem. Why this detour to the north to have to deal with the insecure, genocide prone and paranoid King Herod? We know that there was another way to get to Bethlehem because when the Wise Men leave they go home another way so as to avoid King Herod.

2. The religious leaders of the day knew that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Yet, none of them went with the Wise Men. For nothing other than just curiosity none of them accompanied the Wise Men.

Let's talk about number two first...

Don't be like the religious leaders. Here was their big mistake - Just because they "knew" where the Messiah was to be born didn't guarantee that they would "experience" the newborn king.

So it is with us... We know that December 25th is Christmas Day. We have known about it since we were old enough to know what a calendar is. Just because we "know" that Christmas day is in thirteen days does not guarantee that we will experience the joy of the day.

Now for number 1.

Is The Star you are following these days leading you to places that seem "out of the way" of your ultimate destination? Do you feel like you are on the "beltway", going around and around?

I know that feeling all too well. I do believe with all my heart that God has us on the "beltway" for reasons only known to Him at this point in time. However, I do believe with all my heart and with all the confidence in the heavens, believe that His purposes will ultimately be revealed.

Who knows?
Being on the "beltway" might just allow us to once again see The Star in the western sky and lead us to a place where we see and worship the Savior face to face!

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

⁶ “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” ⁹ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹ And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matthew 2. 1-12)