Devotional Thought – His Star

24 Dec Devotional Thought – His Star

“saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2

“His star” was a thing that the natural world had no use for. To such a secular world it served no practical purpose. It was unnecessary as far as natural need was concerned and thus there was no place for it in nature’s night sky. That why the wise men knew it had to be supernatural. “Since His star gives no obvious help to this world,” they reasoned that “it must have a function in another world.”

This is exactly how we reason in our moments of anticipation and premonition. We look on something beautiful and lovely, something for which we can find no earthly purpose for anywhere else and we conclude, “Since it has no obvious purpose here, it must have a purpose elsewhere. No doubt we have seen the light of a day that has yet to dawn.”

You might ask, “Since the world didn’t create it, where did the star come from?” But that’s really not the best question. The question isn’t “Where did it come from?” The better question is, “Why did it come when it did?” And the answer is that His star is much like the grapes of Eschol. It is not so much an evolution as it is a premonition. For the ordinary, everyday it might not serve any obvious purpose, but its use is coming. It says to us that we are preparing for something greater, better, more ideal – for One who is “fairer than the sons of men,” for One who is “altogether lovely,” for He who is “without blemish or spot,” of such a One, we have seen His star and it tells us that He is coming.

I, for one, am so very thankful that the Lord has seen fit to put things in this world which the world does not need. I’m thankful that there are things that are considered impractical – unusable even. For these things give me hope – they are my “star.” Other things may give me worldly riches such as gold and frankincense and myrrh, but it is the star alone which gives me Christ. The most treasured things in my world are bound up in a napkin. This world may say that my dreams are detours and that my stargazing only leaves me stranded, but I am on that road that leads to a stable and a manger. It is a place where inferior intelligences are said to dwell. And such would I be, if this world were all that there was.

Why does the Lord permit the schoolboy to see pictures of castles in the clouds when he ought to be conducting his calculations? Why does He permit the young man to see stars when he should be studying his science? Why does He allow the young lady to dream of romantic scenes that will never become a domestic reality? Why does He allow Matthew to forget his tax-collecting in a vision of beauty? Why did He cause Peter to leave a successful fishing business for a call that would never lead to financial security? Why did He send Nicodemus a dream in the night that made him less successful in the day? It is all found in the star of Bethlehem – His star! It is because in the world to which I go these powers that are overlooked on earth will be in great demand.

His star, then, is sent to lead me to His light, ready me for His riches, train me for His treasures, and fit me for His fullness! That’s why I thank Him that in the middle of so many constellations who paths scientists can trace, there is revealed to me one stationary star.