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Star Light
Have you ever looked up at the
stars on clear night and wondered about the experience of wise-men as
they followed one star
to find the infant Jesus? Here in Colorado, clear nights show a blanket of
stars above...a dark field spotted with tiny bits of light wherever a person
looks. As a child, I remember watching and watching for a shooting star,
thinking that was the kind of star the wise-men followed... surely it had to
travel fast! Many times, I would find a shooting star and the wonder of
that sight thrilled me for days. I still experience a thrill
when I see them.... but now I have become "educated" enough to know the wise-men
did not travel at the speeds we are accustomed to. They traveled by camel,
probably, and followed the star they saw as it rose. Could they see it at
night only? Or was it also present in the daylight? I don't know,
and I'm not sure the Bible even tells us.... just that they knew that was a
special star and that it had to do with the Messiah's coming. It is
evident they had faith in that star, and it's special connection with God. They
followed it without doubt, and finally did find the Messiah they were looking
for. We aren't told what happened to the star after that, as far as I
know. Its purpose was completed, so perhaps it simply burnt out. Or
maybe it is now a smaller, less obvious one among all the millions and millions
out there.
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What kind of
light did it have?
Was is a different color?
Was it larger than the rest?
What made it
so special to those wise-men?
Jesus' coming was promised in
the Old Testament as a star:
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
(Num 24:17)
Peter reminds us of that
prophecy:
And we have the word of the
prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to
a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star
rises in your hearts.
(2 Pet 1:9)
This was not a star that was
named in the Bible, as others were. It was not described in the New
Testament stories. The one
thing we do know about it, is that it was specifically connected to Jesus.
It showed the light of God, much like the pillar of fire the Israelites followed
through the desert. Of course, the Israelites needed something much more
obvious because of their wavering faith, so God gave them huge pillar of
fire by night (and a cloud by day). But on the day that Jesus bodily entered our
earth, the most awesome light of all became ours. He has called Himself
"the morning star" (Rev 22:16)
Jesus told those who followed Him,
While I
am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5) and
When Jesus spoke again to the
people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never
walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
(John 8:12)
We have this light available to us
even now... the Word of God.
Your word is a lamp to my
feet and a light for my path. (Psalm
119:105)
Yet, He also
tells us ,
"You are
the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither
do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its
stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In
the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good
deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:14-16)
How seriously do we take that
command? Are others able to follow our light and find Jesus? Or do
they stumble in the dark after following us?
This Christmas as we remember the
coming of baby Jesus, and the star that led the wise men to Him, let us purpose
in our hearts to be the light of the world to others... to lead them to Jesus!
Not just for this season this year, but for the rest of our days, for the time of His
return is drawing near!
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