The Star Over Bethlehem

I love to gaze at the sky with wonderment. I remember walking down to the mailbox in the dark of night when we lived on our acreage and all the way back to the house I searched the sky for constellations. They were awesome and bright against the black sky and I could easily find many star formations and occasionally a bright star that I could have tried to follow. I doubt anything I have seen would compare to the beaconing of the star seen by the wise men of the Christmas story shared in Matthew.

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea, they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel." (Matthew 2:1-6 NIV).

I love the persistence of the Magi who came to follow the star. They were wise to proceed in following the star across the sky to the place where Jesus was born. And even wiser to avoid Herod when they returned.

"...the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream, not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route," (Matthew 9b-12 NIV).

The Christmas hymn, "As with Gladness Men of Old" tells this story in song. It was written by Conrad Kocher in 1838 and William C. Dix in 1858:

"As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold; As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright, So, most gracious Lord, may we Evermore be led to Thee. As with joyful steps they sped, To that lowly manger bed, There to bend the knee before Him Whom heaven and earth adore, So, may we with willing feet Ever seek the mercy seat. As they offered gifts most rare At that manger rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin's alloy, All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee our heavenly King. 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. Amen."

The song also speaks to us today, reminders that we are to seek the narrow way, the Lord's way, and someday we will see heaven without stars to guide us and without clouds to hide us.

May your day be blessed by heavenly sights and sounds, reminders of our Lord's earthly birth that was for our salvation.