12-08-2013

 Good Morning All,

    Matthew 2:2; “saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

     Many years ago (before cellphones), I went out at dusk to check on what looked like a fire.  I drove into a pasture area I wasn’t familiar with, intent on finding the fire.  I went as far as I could, got out of the pickup and walked toward the fire.  It was just a neighbor burning out a pile of dead trees and it wasn’t going anywhere.  By the time I figured this out, it was dark, very dark.  There was no moon and it was cloudy.  I hadn’t paid much attention to where I came from or how to get back to my pickup.  So I picked out a light that was more yellow than the others that I saw and started walking towards it.

    It turned out to be about 3 miles away but it was a farm site so I knew where I was.  I walked toward the light until I knew where I was.  I knocked on the door, borrowed the phone and waited until my ride came and got me.  We went and got my pickup and went home.  I was no longer lost but at home.

    Our verse is from the story of the magi or wise men and their journey to find Jesus, the king of the Jews.  They saw the star, a light to shine them in the right direction.  So they followed it.  That really describes our life as well.  At some in our life, someone was a “star” that led us to Jesus.  It might have been your parents or grandparents, an aunt or uncle or maybe a Sunday School teacher but there was someone who was that “star” in your life.  There was someone who led you to Jesus.

    There is probably also someone who continues to be your star.  There is someone who God has placed in your life that continues to point you to Jesus.  It might be a spouse or parent; it might be a friend or workmate.  But there is usually someone who helps at just the right time to help you keep your eye on the star.  There may be times we don’t want to hear them but we do and eventually the Spirit moves us to remember who we are; God’s redeemed children.

    Sometimes, you are the star.  It might be your spouse or child, your grandchild or a niece or nephew.  It might be a friend or co-worker or just someone that you have only occasional contact with but God uses you to be their star.  God uses you and me to be stars to others just as he uses others to be stars to us; we are all in this together and by God’s grace; he leads us on with his star, the star of faith.  God uses us when he needs to and gives us a star when we need one.  God in his mercy provides for us at all times.

Dearest Jesus, shine bright in our lives.  Use us to point the way to your wonderful love.  Guard and protect us as we continue down the path of life.  Help us to especially shine to those who do not see the light at all and thus are completely lost.  Move us by your Spirit to be the beacon here on earth which you want us to be.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret