“May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.” — Psalm 72:10-11
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NFL players sometimes go through the motions during training camp and preseason games, but everything gets more serious during the regular season. If a team is still playing after Christmas lights are put back in a closet, that team is doing very well and could keep playing until the end of January and hopefully into February. For teams that win enough games to make the playoffs, the lights get brighter and the pressure grows more intense. When players are chosen for the Hall of Fame, a deciding factor often has to do with how a player has done when the lights shine brightest on the big stage in the playoffs and Super Bowl.
As we all know, stars shine bright through the darkness of night. In the Middle East where Jesus was born, some of the clusters of stars or constellations are Orion, Taurus, Gemini and Auriga. More than likely, the wise men we read about in the Bible studied these stars for many years before suddenly seeing one particular star that was different. This new star moved across the sky and caught their attention. As we read the Bible, we don’t know much about these men except that they traveled some distance to see and worship the Christ child.
Though there aren’t exact explanations for how the star moved from a faraway country to appear above the place where Jesus was in Bethlehem, it’s important to remember that the Creator of the stars can certainly move them from place to place. Interestingly, the Lord inspired King Solomon to write about a future time when several kings would bring gifts and bow before a greater king. “May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him” (Psalm 72:10-11).
As we read in the New Testament about the magi putting aside everything else to go worship baby Jesus, we don’t know if they had a copy of the Scriptures. Perhaps they heard about the Messiah from someone who traveled through their country, but they show us where we all need to be: We should be at the feet of Jesus to honor Him and then serve Him throughout our lives. “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:10-11).
The wise men adored Jesus as we all should, but many of us are just going through the motions. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, check your heart to see whether it is consumed by the list of to-dos, gifts and meals to be made so it all feels magical, or set on bowing down and honoring the Christ who came as your rescue plan. Because the posture of our hearts as we approach Christmas Day matters more than the shining lights, tinsel, wrapping paper and bows.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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