Matthew 2:1-12
The Magi traveled for months following a star to see an infant king of a different people, a different race, a different set of beliefs. What do you think people told them about this crazy idea to follow the star? I expect somebody told them not to go, they should stick around and continue their normal life instead of giving it up to chase a dream.
But, they went. And now they are on this long, hard journey.
The Middle East is one of the most cloud-free places on earth, but that doesn’t mean that there are never any clouds. I have to figure that the Magi had to experience at least a couple of nights on their journey that were cloudy and dark. They couldn’t see the star that they were following.
Do you think they got discouraged?
Maybe on those dark nights, they questioned themselves, questioned their own sanity at setting out on the trip. Possibly, they wondered why they felt compelled to make the journey to find this king of others. It could be that, if there was a time that they couldn’t see the star, they wondered if they had missed the event, they were too late to see this king. Maybe some even gave up and went back to their homes, but before they left they tried to get others to give up and come with them.
But then, the ones that stayed the course get to Bethlehem. They see the star stopped over the house and are overcome with joy. They urge their camels faster and faster, get to the child and his mother Mary and immediately fall down and worship him. They give him their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but more than that, they give him their gift of themselves.