“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
The stars shining in the firmament are, for many people, all the proof of God that they need to see. They make one feel quite small and insignificant compared to the grander scheme of creation. Yet, as used to gazing at stars as a people could be, can you imagine seeing the birth of a new star?
Astrologers a couple thousand years ago saw the birth of a new star. They wondered what such a thing could mean. They searched diligently through all their scrolls and found that the star was to herald something huge: the birth of a King.
This was an unprecedented event. Yes, kings were born on a regular basis. However, this King was going to be very special and a star was just the first harbinger of that unique person.
The star — a gold star is the Jesse Tree symbol for today — marked the place of the birth of the newborn King. Magi followed the light of that star so that they could worship the Infant and bring gifts to Him. The star also brought light to the shepherds in their fields as it cast a light over the stable in Bethlehem.
God’s light leads us still this day. His light illumines the dark places of our minds, hearts, and souls. The light purges away the darkness of sin and death. The light shows us all what we need to see. Our job is to keep our eyes open so that we can see what is being illuminated.
God shows us what we need to do in order to draw closer to Him. Sometimes, however, we close our eyes to the light and prefer to live in darkness. The dark is not our friend, though, and can never lead the way. It is only walking in the light of the Lord that we can possibly navigate through the obstacles of this world and reach the Kingdom.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to light the way to a closer relationship to Him.