December 10, 2019
Hallelujah! A Savior had been born into the world; One who was sent to take away Sin so mankind might be reconciled to God!! The angels announced it, the shepherds believed it and had gone to see Him in the manger. The wise men later followed His star from the east and came to Herod seeking the whereabouts of this marvelous Child whom they knew to be the King of the Jews. They wanted to worship Him, but they had to find Him first. It wasn’t enough that they should have stayed at home and worshipped Him from a distance. No, they desired to be in His very Presence, whom mankind had long awaited. I am sure their journey was inconvenient, costly, and upset their daily routines. They may even have been laughed at when they told others what they were about to do. It didn’t matter. They knew they had to find Him. So they set out to do so. We do not know what they had to go through to get to where He was----only that they knew it would be worth it in the end. Yet, (some commentators say some two years later), after they finally arrived in Jerusalem where they expected to find this King, and they inquired of the worldly King Herod as to the Child’s location, Herod sent them to Bethlehem, saying a curious thing:
“Go and make careful search for the Child, and when you have found Him, report to me, that I, too, may come and worship Him…” (Matthew 3:8 NASB)
These words jumped out at me as I read the Christmas story this year. We know that Herod’s words were actually uttered in a deceitful manner. However, his words are still instructive to us, many years later…
We may already know that Jesus has been born, that He is the King sent to save us from our sins---yet how much do we long to find Him—to be in His very Presence? Do we find that knowing the Truth about Him has still left us apart from Him in a far country-- like the Wise Men were when they first understood the truth? How much do we want to be in His Presence? What price are we willing to pay; what mocking are we willing to endure, what upset to our routine are we willing to put up with, to obtain that treasured end? God (who cannot lie) promises us in Jeremiah 29:13-14, “…You will seek Me and find Me –when you have searched for Me with all of your heart; and I will be found by you’, declares the Lord…”
I confess that I’ve gotten somewhat complacent and become guilty of having fallen back upon my knowledge about Christ and allowed my desire to be in His actual Presence wane, over time. ‘Life is busy and we only have so much time to do things…etc’… However, I was rebuked as I reread Herod’s words today. Knowing the truth about Christ is in no way as wonderful as knowing He Himself, of being in His actual, loving Presence. God requires of us—yes even those of us who have known the Truth for many years---to take the time to make a CAREFUL search for Him again. If we want to find His Presence again this Christmas (and always) we have to leave the far country and draw near to Him—really seek His face and long for him as the Wise Men did. We have to pay the price, endure what it costs, knowing that it will all be worth it in the end. Then, once we have found Him, whom our hearts desire, we are to REPORT the Good News to others so that they also can come and worship our King with us!
“O Zion, that bringest Good Tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest Good Tidings, lift up thy voice—with strength! Lift it up—be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah: ‘Behold your God!’…” (Isaiah 40:9 KJV)
Jesus Christ, the King has come---Joy to the World! Let every heart Prepare Him room!
Merry Christmas one and all,
Love, Joann
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