REMEMBER
Today-January 4, 2015
One Worship Service
10:30am
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-2
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his start at is rising, and have come to pay him homage.”
Thought for the Day: TS Elliot has a poem entitled Journey of the Magi (you’ll hear a portion of it read in worship this morning), and it was written as if the Magi themselves where reminiscing about their experience. I have always valued the insight provided by these few lines: “And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly; and the villages dirty and charging high prices: A hard time we had of it.”
There is no way to know for sure if these lines reflect the experience of those who made the journey, but I’d like to think they do. Too often we view the storyline as if the journey was uncomplicated. The Magi were on their way to see the child, so why should we expect any problems…except that very few people have a faith story that is without some sort of challenge. Could it be that the beauty of the story is found, not in its pristine nature, but in its very real-life struggles where faithfulness was found despite all the unforeseen complications? I’d like to think so.
Prayer: Lord, this life I am living is far from perfect, yet if anyone should understand, you would. Amidst all the rough patches and unanticipated turns, let me recognize the beauty of faithfulness. It is there – amidst faithful struggle – that you are revealed and shared. Amen.
