THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM STILL GUIDES OUR HEARTS TODAY

12/23/2019

THE EXCITEMENT OF CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION CAN BE OVERWHELMING AT TIMES. IT HAS BECOME AN AMAZING TIME OF FAMILY CELEBRATIONS AND EVENTS. CHRISTMAS TREES, LIGHTS, AND THE FUN OF GIVING GIFTS AND RECEIVING THEM. IT IS A TIME FOR FAMILY TRADITIONS, WITH WARM FIRES, EGG NOG AND DECORATING COOKIES. IT CAN ALSO BE A TIME OF REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WE LOVE WHO ARE NOT WITH US, AND FOR SOME, A TIME OF LONELINESS, FROM LOSS OF A SPOUSE OR LACK OF A TRUE FRIEND….IN THE MIDST OF ALL THESE FEELINGS AND THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, TAKE TIME TO LOOK UP AND SEE THE PROMISE OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM FROM SO LONG AGO.

AFTER JESUS WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM IN JUDEA, DURING THE TIME OF KING HEROD, MAGI FROM THE EAST CAME TO JERUSALEM AND ASKED “WHERE IS THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN BORN KING OF THE JEWS ? WE SAW HIS STARWHEN IT ROSE AND HAVE COME TO WORSHIP HIM”. Matthew 2:1-2

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM IS TRULY AN INTERESTING PART OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS SO LONG AGO. THERE ARE MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STAR THAT ARE DEBATED IN CHRISTIANITY. WAS THERE REALLY A STAR AT ALL ? WHAT STAR WAS IT ? HOW DID THE WISE MEN FOLLOW IT ? WAS IT A MIRACLE OF GOD, ESTABLISHED FOR THE VERY MOMENT OF JESUS’S BIRTH ? WAS IT AN ANGEL ? WAS IT A GATHERING OF PLANETS ? I TRULY HAD NO IDEA UNTIL I BEGAN TO RESEARCH THE STORY OF OUR SAVIORS BIRTH THAT THERE WERE SO MANY THEORIES AND EVEN QUESTIONS. IN ALL OF THE INFORMATION, I CAME TO ONE VERY PERSONAL CONCLUSION…..THE STAR WAS ABSOLUTELY REAL ! I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A MIRACULOUS SIGN FROM GOD TO ANNOUNCE TO MANKIND AND THE HEAVENLY HOST THAT HIS SON HAD BEEN BORN, AND THE STAR REPRESENTED EXACTLY WHO JESUS WOULD BE. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD ! ON THE VERY NIGHT THAT JESUS WAS BORN, GOD PROCLAIMED HIM, AND THAT STAR LEAD PEOPLE FROM EVERYWHERE TO COME AND BEHOLD HIM. SHEPHERDS FROM THE FIELDS, MAGI TRAVELING WITH GIFTS FROM AFAR, ALL THERE TO SEE A BABY WHO WOULD BECOME OUR REDEEMER AND BRING RECONCILIATION WITH OUR CREATOR.

I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE. John 8:12

THE COOL THING ABOUT THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM IS THAT IT STILL LIGHTS THE WORLD TODAY. DEEP IN YOUR HEART YOU KNOW THAT JESUS WAS BORN FOR YOU. JESUS WAS BORN FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR FRIENDS. JESUS WAS BORN FOR EVERYONE. HE WAS BORN TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. OUR LIGHT. YOURS AND MINE. CHRISTMAS CAN BE A TIME OF RACING TO AND FRO, BUT I URGE YOU TO SLOW DOWN. TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK UP IN THE SKY AND IMAGINE THAT NIGHT SO LONG AGO IN BETHLEHEM WHEN THAT STAR SHONE OH SO BRIGHTLY. LISTEN FOR THE ANGELS SINGING AND PROCLAIMING THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR. EXPERIENCE THE MIRACLE OF THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. UNDERSTAND THAT THE GLORY OF THAT NIGHT WILL GUIDE YOU EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE IF YOU CHOOSE IT TO. LOOK TO THAT STAR TO BE YOUR BEACON FOR YOUR LIFE AND YOUR FUTURE. MOST OF ALL REMEMBER WHY JESUS WAS BORN….IT WAS FOR YOU !

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. John 3:16

MAY JESUS LIGHT YOUR PATH AND YOUR LIFE/JA