Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Matthew 2:9-11 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
AS WITH JOYFUL STEPS . . .
As with joyful steps they sped, Savior, to Thy lowly bed,
There to bend the knee before Thee whom heaven and earth adore,
So may we with willing feet Ever seek Thy mercy-seat!
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 127:2)
It was for this reason that they had come. All those many miles, all that preparation, all that effort, time, and expense -- it was all so that they could come to worship this new-born King. And so they did! "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him" (2:11).
They wasted no time. It had become apparent to them that the Lord's blessings were upon their journey, as "the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was" (2:9). There was no time for dawdling on the way, no side trips to "see the sights." They had come to worship their Lord, and so they aimed their steps in that direction without delay.
It is to that same Lord that we would come with our worship and our prayers. As we see the dedication shown by these Magi in their quest to worship their King, we can follow their example -- to re-focus and re-dedicate ourselves to worship and praise the One who has given us His Word as a "lamp for our feet and a light to our path."
