Get ready to start a journey…a journey through the pages of the Bible and the pages of your life.
Jesus didn’t stay an infant for long. It was time for Mary and Joseph to prepare Jesus to become a “son of commandment” (bar mitzvah). At that age young boys were obligated to observe the religious practices personally. So Jesus made the trip for Passover. Two decades later he would make the trip again, one last time, giving his life on the cross.
Death followed Jesus throughout his life. From the moment of his birth, those in authority were trying to kill him. And finally, they did. But not as a helpless victim; Jesus voluntarily gave himself up for us on the cross. He died in my place. He died so that I could live. Have you surrendered to the King? Or, like Herod, are you still trying to keep him out of your life?
The journey to Jesus is seldom free of obstacles. The reality with Jesus is not always a storybook life or a storybook ending. It is often tiring and messy. The believer is not free from disappointment, discouragement, or disillusionment. Sometimes the terrain is rugged and the paths steep. But when we set our hearts on seeing Jesus, nothing will hold us back.
While there are things we don’t know about the wise men, here are the things we know for certain. These men made a great sacrifice to see Jesus. They traveled a great distance. They brought their best to him. They sought Jesus and didn’t stop until they found him. They worshiped him. That is the heart of the magi story. And…that should be the heart of our Christmas story as well.
Have you seen the Lord’s salvation? Have you experienced the peace that Jesus brings? The little baby Simeon held, grew up and went to the cross to die for your sins. It is only through Jesus that we can have peace with God. I invite you to pray the following prayer and trust in Jesus today.
Seeing Jesus transforms our lives. Trusting in him reroutes our direction. An encounter with Jesus changes everything.