Our Wandering Wise Men - December 7
Our Wandering Wise Men - December 7
THE LITTLE TYRANT
Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar had seen the star, they knew what it portended, and they had hope. But they were still not wise, and they went to the big and bright and important city of Jerusalem to ask no less than Herod the King where they might find the child, born a king. They were hopeful, but they were too foolish to know what was in the heart of men like Herod, which is to say, men like us all.
SCRIPTURE
Herod the King was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, and he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also. When they heard the king, they departed; and behold the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.” (Matthew 2:3-4,7-9)
Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. (Proverbs 23:1-2, 6-7)
FOOLISH WISDOM
Each of us wants the world to orbit around us and our needs and desires. We do not want to serve God or our neighbor -we want them to serve us. In every heart, then, there is a “little King Herod” that wants to rule and that is threatened by anything that may compromise its omnipotence and sovereignty. Each of us wants to be the captain of our own soul, the master of our own fate. (Timothy Keller)
PRAYER
I am no longer my own, but thine; put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to thy disposal; and now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Thou art mine and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen. (John Wesley)