Yesterday at Linworth UMC we got to hear Rev. Gene Folden preach. Linworth has three pastors, and they all preach regularly, but Rev. Folden is my favorite. He preached about the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12), because it was Epiphany Sunday, and how they left everything to follow a star.
There have been times, since Tom and I retired, that I have felt a little like the Magi – leaving everything behind to follow a star, a dream. Tom and I have become wanderers with no set place to live or to worship. Sometimes it has been hard for us to worship, such as when we had to work every Sunday this fall and go to church in the evenings. It is easy to worship at Linworth, with the great preachers, full sanctuary, and wonderful praise band. It is harder to worship when we have to seek out a new place every week or when we feel like we are in a foreign land.
The Magi followed a star, even though they didn’t know where it would lead. They expected a king in a palace and instead, they found a baby in a humble home. They came bearing expensive gifts, which might have seemed inappropriate given the circumstances. But they followed that prickling, twinkling point of light, night after night, through one hardship after another, and found the true king, the King of Kings, even if they didn’t know he was what they were looking for.
Sometimes we do not know what we are looking for. We follow a star, a path, a map, a trail, a friend. When we find a place to worship we are sometimes unsure how to worship or what we are worshiping. But the point of light that is the Christ child can shine in any heart. The point of light that is God’s love can lead the way through any time of darkness. No matter how lost we are, if we look up and see the Star of Christmas, we can find our way home.
We take step after ordinary step, muddling through our days as best we can in this thing called living, and sometimes – sometimes – for a moment – we glimpse the Light that tugs and pulls and calls us to God. And when we do catch a glimpse of the light, we want to follow it no matter what the cost.
Where have you seen that Light? How do you follow a star?
Hmmm, Epiphany Sunday? Would have thought that would have been mentioned at my church. Anyway, on to your question….
Karen, you are my point of light…you are the star that keeps shining for me to follow. Oh, I am not trying to be sappy or score any points with you. Why would I? I choose to follow this blog and could easily not log on. But you asked, so there you have it. I grow weary in my day to day life and then I will read something here that lifts me up. I feel lost or weak sometimes in my faith, and then, just at the right time (God at work), you will write something that gives me strength and direction. And, just to keep it real, sometimes I log on and the answer is not there. But you know what? Those are the days I open the Bible or spend extra time studying a devotion (again, God at work). No, you are not my savior, but you are my light to shine the way for me to see my Savior. So thank you! Love ya Karen 🙂
Thank you Kris. You are a twinkling point of light for me too.