I can't take credit for this devotional... I am stealing it... you know how you steal things off Pinterest or Google... I'm going to give credit where credit is due... Max Lucado in Because of Bethlehem brought this to my attention. It was very powerful to me... I hope you ask yourself daily which one you are.
In my own words I will recap what he said....
There are three groups to look at...
1. Herod- the evil king who had ordered all males under two years old be killed
2. The Priests and Teachers- continued the duties of telling about the history in the Old Testament
3. The Wisemen- astrologers who weren't really kings and were told to follow the star
Did you know that all three of these knew the story of the Messiah? No one had heard from God in over 400 years until the birth of Jesus... and John the Baptist. Herod knew about a Saviour coming, the priests and the teachers knew about the Saviour coming, and the Wisemen knew about the Saviour coming.... THEY ALL KNEW! Think about what you know already....
Now... what's interesting is what they did with this information.
Herod- He tried to defy everything.... he was going to have this Messiah who was born killed, so he could continue to be king and in charge. He tried his best to control the situation and make it the way he thought it would be best.
The Priests and the Teachers.... they knew the stories of the prophets, but they did NOTHING... they sat and watched things go on and didn't help in any way. They didn't act on what they knew or make others understand what was going on any better.
The Wisemen... they left their land and traveled far away to find the baby that would be the Saviour. They acted and believed on what they had learned and seen. They sought the newborn baby and took several years to find him.
Where are you tonight? Are you Herod? Are you trying to control a situation that really isn't yours to control? Have you read your Bible and know that what you are trying to do is going to defy what the Bible says? Let God have your problems. No matter how small or big... let Him have them! If you are blessed and don't have any problems... phone a friend and ask how you can pray for them!
Are you the priests and teachers tonight? Do you know what you need to do, but you are sitting and letting life pass by in a sulky, depressed, poor pitiful me mood? Are you pushing back the real things you need to be focused on to just hope for the best? Do you know what you need to know, but you aren't willing to move and act?
Or are you like the Wisemen? Are you seeking God every day? Sometimes I think I seek God three and four times a day if it's a crazy day! Are you looking for him in everything... the good, the bad, and the ugly? Are you willing to go on a journey to find Him and meet Him where the light is shining?
You have a choice every day to be one of these characters... you can be like Herod, the priests/teachers, or the wisemen. You know which one you should be, but no one can make you. It's your choice. Trust in Him and he will guide you in everything you do! Give your problems to Him... and most of all... have the willingness to seek Him just like the wisemen did!
Be a wisemen this Christmas season... look for Him! He is there!
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