Friday, January 9, 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.
KEEP US IN THE NARROW WAY . . .
Holy Jesus, every day Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide, Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 127:4)
We are not told anything in the Scripture record of the challenges faced by those Magi in their efforts to worship the one born King of the Jews. We can but imagine the difficulties they encountered in their preparations and travels, not to mention answering questions like: "You're going where to do what?"
There are challenges that we face too, for like the Magi and the Apostle Paul, "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7). We live in a world of people who often go by what their limited reason can understand and what they can observe with their physical eyes. We have those yet today who challenge us with words like Peter records, "Where is the promise of His coming?" (2 Peter 3:4).
So yes, in these days where clouds still hide the glory of the Lord from our eyes, we ask the Lord to bless us "who have not seen and yet have believed" with ever increasing faith and the ability to stay on the narrow way, "for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matthew 7:13).
