Note: Matthew chapter 2 records events that occurred sometime after Jesus’ birth, not on the night we celebrate at Christmas. Still, the Magi’s rejoicing belongs beautifully with the Christmas story. Their joy flows from the same truth we rejoice in today: The child born in Bethlehem is the promised Savior, revealed not only to Israel but to the nations.
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:10).
Perhaps we can all think of a time when an experience did not live up to our expectations. It might have been a movie that received rave reviews but was so boring it almost put us to sleep. Perhaps it was the new technology that was supposed to be life-changing but came with so many glitches it was almost unusable. Or maybe we waited so long to see a musical artist in person, but the live performance was so disappointing that we wished we could have our ticket money back.
Now think of the Magi. We can’t say for sure where their trip started, but it was likely hundreds of miles from their destination. We can only imagine the time, effort, and expense that they invested to follow a star, all in hope of seeing a newborn king. They first checked the palace in Jerusalem (a reasonable move if one were looking for royalty) but were then sent to a small town a few short miles away. Finally, the star they were chasing came to a rest.
What did they find? Was the newborn King everything they were expecting?
It’s hard to know for certain, but probably not. He was just an average-looking infant. The surroundings were humble; his parents appeared closer to the bottom class of society than the top. We may wonder if there was a moment of confusion or hesitation, or even disappointment, after traveling all that way—for this?
As Matthew describes their meeting, however, he doesn’t mention any hesitation—only joy, praise, and worship expressed with their posture and possessions. Isn’t it the same in our lives? Perhaps to an untrained eye Jesus seems so human. Actually, that’s why we worship him as we do! God’s own Son entered flesh just like ours, with all its human frailty, vulnerability, and mortality. The immortal God became killable so that he could be our perfect substitute and bring divine righteousness into our world. He set aside the glory of heaven to humble himself and become our Servant-King, willing even to give his life in our place. He came all the way from heaven to live and die for us!
Maybe Jesus’ presence in our lives doesn’t look all that impressive. Perhaps it isn’t always what we expect. But one day all who trust in him will see him in the glory he once set aside—and God promises that we won’t be disappointed. Until then, thinking about our Savior fills us with joy and inspires our worship because he came as a humble King to redeem us.
Prayer: Lord Jesus our King, fill our lives with the joy of seeing you by faith as we journey through life; keep us yours until we worship you face to-face in glory. Amen.
From He Is the Christ. All rights reserved.
Did you enjoy this devotion? Click the button below to learn more about this devotional book and the rest of the People’s Bible Devotions series.
Did you enjoy this post? Subscribe for free devotional content every week!
Looking for other Christmas devotions? Click here to keep reading.
Leave a Reply