December 24th and the children who are steadfastly waiting on Santa Claus are counting the minutes until bedtime when Santa's sleigh arrives to dispense toys and goodies.
For observant Christians, the 24 of December takes on a reverent hue as the anticipatory night before the Savior of the World arrives to fulfill the prophetic mission for which He was ordained. A star, brilliant in its glorious light, appeared in the night sky. The way was shone by the star to the very place where the infant King lay.
Humble work-a-day shepherds heard of the birth first. Perhaps it is more than fitting that the news, angelic in delivery and message, came to some of the lowliest workers in the entire region. Shepherds, entrusted with the flock, guarding with their very lives the tiny lambs who needed so much care and who spent each night in the field with their sheep knowing them all by name.
Emblematic of the Savior who is indeed the Light of the World and the Good Shepherd of us all, these were no mere accidental coincidences of time. Rather, the message of Isaiah, of Zenos and of Zenock were fulfilled. The Messenger of the Covenant, the Bridegroom to be, He who's right it is to rule and reign in the fullness of time was coming into the world!
They heard the message and obeyed the invitation to come and worship at the rude stable. Shepherds keeping watch over their flock left the fields and came to worship the Shepherd who would keep watch over the flock of the Church. Those who had their eyes open and their heart prepared received the message that this day Salvation had come to the earth.
Wise men, not just kings with loot, but truly wise and prepared men, also saw that brilliant and foretold star. Setting out to cross the trackless wastes and barren desert from oasis to oasis until they reached the humble home of the young child, the Wise Men brought the temporal gifts that would be needed to sustain the mortal existence of the Christ-child. Only the gold, frankincense and myrrh were more than mere gifts. Each priceless even to this day, they represented the best that could be offered to royalty, for Divine Royalty this Christ-child was and is today.
Their journey was long and treacherous and I imagine it to have been difficult. Coming to know Christ is not an easy task and requires much sacrifice and labor. Those wise men had no modern conveyance to bring them and no easy way to arrive in Egypt where Joseph had fled with Mary and the newborn Jesus to spare him from King Herod's evil and twisted edict.
Herod, ever zealous of his own power, also knew of the prophecies. He would not brook competition to his throne even though the literal Son of God was He who had been foretold. In his cruel and malicious mind, Herod thought if he copied the Pharoah's idea of simply killing all the male children that he could stay the very hand of God and thus retain his earthly power, influence and control.
But God knew ahead of time what was to come and how HIS plan was to unfold.
Prompting Joseph in a dream to take the baby Jesus and his mother and flee to Egypt, God thus preserved the infant King for all that was to come.
Though we focus at this time of year mainly on the birth of the Savior, the story is incomplete without a flash forward through His life and ministry to see the Son of Man who had willingly volunteered to be the sacrifice - the Lamb of God - who would Atone for our sins, suffer, bleed and die for them, then rise on the third day with healing in His wings to make us whole. The Atonement along with the suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and the Resurrection make possible our opportunity to return to the fold of God - to be lead by The Good Shepherd who protected us and gave His very life for us so that we could return to God one day and be welcome to enter into His kingdom and dwell with God and Christ.
The star that burned bright over Bethlehem that sacred night still burns brightly today. We can also approach and be welcomed into the fold of God and His Christ. Wise men and women still seek Him who is Christ and for those who seek, they shall find. Those who knock will have the very door of Heaven opened up to them.
May your Christmas be merry now and always.
