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turtle30cshell Daily Devotions For December 21, 2020
The Journey Continues
12/21/2020

Daily Devotions:
by Christina Farris

Matthew 2:7-11 KJV
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

I wonder how many are ready for Christmas, much less the preparation of celebration. Some have even their deserts made and stocked, and others are still trying to put it all together. I would consider myself somewhere in between ready and unready. As I restudy the story of the wisemen and continue their journey today, i have to ask would not a moving star in the sky been enough to cause the king to journey to Bethlehem himself, but apparently not. Yet it was enough for the wise men to continue their journey. The disappearance of the star can only be explained by day and night. In the day we see no star but at night we see all kinds of stars. When the star appeared each night they knew exactly that the direction they were going was correct. They knew not only by the star but also the prophecy from their stop at the Palace. When it stopped over the Christ child they rejoiced. They found the house and saw the child that would be a king. They worshipped the new born King. The wise men came with gifts as well and presented them to the new family.

Gold was given to help them financially for anything the new king would need, along with two spices called Frankincense and myrrh. The two spices were used not only in Jewish temple in the sense of burning incenses and burial procedures, it probably was also used for diaper rach and other ailments. We have to stop and think long and hard the purpose of the gifts. Often new parents receive things for a baby by tradition from money or items used in care for a baby. The wise men knew they would see a baby so why not gifts for an infant. The star told them what they would find by the prophecy of a new leader. Are we amazed when we obey God of heaven, that his word is fullfilled. God's word was fullfilled before the wise men very eyes, they beheld the king of Israel.

The wise men journey and search did not end in defeat but joy and peace. Their search came with adoration for a new born king. They bowed and worshipped him. No doubt they told all that had happened to Mary and Joseph. No doubt their joy was complete with the knowledge of truth of a long awaited prophecy. The journey tells a story of hope, to travel so far just to see the miracle of life. I am taken back what also been discovered in my search this year of the prophesy surround the events to come to Israel, because of this birth.

I always want to think of the manger scene or even the view that wise men were not at the stable as being complete with the sweet baby Jesus, yet when one studies history, the prophesy that follow Christ, we know much more was coming. Jesus was God's peace offering but with peace offering there is no peace. He was sent to bring peace but there would be no peace. The only peace that could come was spiritually between God and man, as Christ took away the sins of the world through his death and resurrection. The peace of infant would bring much turmoil to even the city of Bethlehem in the next phase of the journey, but the wise men journey is fixing to take on a new direction of obedience to God, the Father of Jesus. Hope was brought to the soul of the wise men, peace made with the reality that God was real God to follow. It only through faith in the next part that we know their obedience protected Jesus. If we only see the joy we do not see the hardship that is coming. We see not God's preparation for Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the wise men. We only rest in the joy and elation of God's prophecy coming to pass. We only rest in the knowledge that the star was not only a sign, but proof of God's grace for man. If remain only in the beauty of traditional Christmas story, we see not how fast joy can change to trouble in the night.

Matthew 2:12-14 KJV
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

How many had dreams with a warning, did you take it seriously or just past it off as playing on your own fears and anxiety. I once had a dream with a warning and understood not or the purpose in it. Yet I know the dream was some how true. Whether a past event or just a dream it was enough of warning to stop me in my tracks. Later I figured out what part of it meant. And in truth it left me a bit rattled. When you hear God warned the wise men by a dream why would it not set fear in the heart of the believer or non believer. We get accustom to tradition and the reality seems not so close to home. It like a pandemic no one fears until they are in the middle of one themselves. One might hear stories but the reality of it is suddenly at our door. Then we are shaken by it. I once told a friend to look around her apartment and asked her how she get out if there was a fire, not knowing of the fire escape outside her window. Yet the reality of she said why should I worry about it and I said you always need to be prepared of your surroundings and how to get out. There no proof anyone would get out of some situations, but one must know their is escape route. In panic no one really acts correctly. Burn yourself is what burnt you still in the same location or did you dropped it or did you fling it across the room. Did you cross a river by bridge or jumping across stepping stones, one way easier, because stepping stones may not keep you completely dry but will get you across. Are you prepared for icy water, the answer maybe no, but removal of shoes ot have something to put wet feet in to warm them might be better then getting your shoes wet. It is psychology of the mind that says what will I do in case of disaster. Which way is safer and which way is more protective. The bridge over a creek is usually safer.

The wise men's journey comes to place of decision, we do not see them in any doubt, but we can imagine there may of been or might of been. Yet what we do see is the wise men having a warning in a dream and it was enough for them to go a different way. The warning of the Almighty to the wise men, who first alert them through the sky of his Son's birth. Joseph was warned in a dream also and took flight to Egypt. Now in the book of Luke it does not record Joseph dream. Perhaps that reason for two stories is that there was delay in return of Galilee and Luke took a short cut, without telling of the wise men. More important that Jesus was raised in Nazeth to the gentiles who Luke wrote then the flight to Egypt which was part of prophecy as well and more desired to be known by the Jews. So we continue tomorrow with why that prophecy is important. What I want to focus on today is the obedience of wise men and obedience of Mary and Joseph in both journey's. Mary had evidence to obey because of angel, and Joseph had dream that he obeyed God the first time. Joseph a man of faith knew to trust in what God spoke to him in dreams, visions and by angels. He did not need to be convince, so he obey and went to protect Mary and hIs Son. The wise men had learned through their journey to trust in God, down to obeying God in a dream, who was willing to protect them. The warning was because the King wanted to kill baby Jesus.

Well we obey God if he gives us vision, dreams, sends an angel, or his Spirit speaks to our hearts about issue. Hopefully we say Yes Lord, I believe, but in truth sometimes fear causes one to run like Jonah, walk like David, and sin like Moses who was angry. Sometimes we do not understand what God doing but our obedience is important, but God not going to start us on a journey with him, without providing what we need to grow in faith to trust him. He going to provide us with what we need to trust him. Obedience was key to the rest of the story. See without obedience in the final phase of the story it could cost one his own life and maybe a life of another. We can walk with God over a bridge of safety, or get baptized walking on stepping stones, not understanding obedience is a smoother road. Jonah found he would of drowned if a fish had not thought he was lunch. David would of died, if his men had not been silent in a cave, and Moses found his disobedience would cost him the final step into the promise land. Moses feet would take him in another direction, but never out of ministry.

Can we trust God to make our pathways straight. Can we trust God that his word is true in valley of death. Can we trust God deliverance? If your answer is yes, you know what wisemen, Joseph, and Mary knew as they did what God told them to do. Faith in the storm, after the great joy of hope. We need hope for the journey, but we need to know to obey in the journey as well. Mary and Joseph on a mission to protect Jesus, and care for him into adulthood. Wise men need God's protection because they had alerted the king of the birth of Jesus. And tomorrow you will find out why.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to walk in places of smooth paths as we obey you, because of the hope we find in Jesus. That knowing if we obey we land up place of safety, in Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

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