Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

 

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Matthew 2:10

My husband and I have always enjoyed attending the Christmas Eve service at our church. In the early years of our marriage, we had a special tradition of strolling slowly after service, through the streets of our small town, gazing at the display of glowing lights that were strung from tall poles in the shape of stars. There we’d whisper our reflections on Jesus’ miraculous birth while we, along with many people in the town, were looking up at the bright, string-light stars from the valley below.

That is a reminder of the birth of our Saviour. The Bible tells of magi “from the east” who arrived in Jerusalem seeking “the one who [had] been born king of the Jews” (MATTHEW 2:1-2). They’d been watching the skies and had seen the star “when it rose” (V. 2). Their journey took them onward from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, the star going “ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was” (V. 9). There, they “bowed down and worshipped him” (V. 11).

Christ is the source of light in our lives both figuratively (as the one who guides us) and literally as the one who created the sun, moon and stars in the sky (COLOSSIANS 1:15-16). Like the magi who “were overjoyed” when they saw His star (MATTHEW 2:10), our greatest delight is in knowing Him as the Saviour who came down from the heavens to dwell among us. “We have seen his glory” (JOHN 1:14)!

How has Jesus brought light to your life? With whom might you share that today?

Thank You, Jesus, for being the light of my life.