A Glorious Nightنموونە

It was no small thing to set out from a distant land in search of a newborn king, prompted only by the appearance of a strange, new star in the sky. But the magi, also known as wise men, studied the night sky to see what might be revealed. The Bible doesn’t tell us how they knew that the star in the sky was announcing the birth of a new king of the Jews. Maybe they studied the writings of the prophet Daniel, another wise man who lived centuries earlier. Maybe it was there that they were pointed to the oracles of Balaam, the pagan seer who prophesied about a star rising from Jacob (see Numbers 24:17). We simply don’t know how they put the pieces together. But they did, and they made the trip in search of a king.

There is no hint that the magi believed the child they were seeking was anything more than a human king. But when they finally arrived at the house in Bethlehem where a two-year-old Jesus was being cared for by His mother, they didn’t merely show their respects; they “bowed down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11, NIV). These magi were not Jews who had grown up longing for the Messiah. They were pagan astrologers who served a foreign king in a land filled with false gods. And yet, one look at Jesus had them transformed into worshipers of the Son of God.

It doesn’t matter what your background is. It doesn’t matter where you were born or what you’ve done in your life. When a person truly encounters Jesus, there is only one appropriate response: to worship Him. Make time this Christmas holiday to honor and worship Jesus as the wise men did. Allow yourself to be changed by His presence, not just during this season, but all year round.