Christian Reflection and Prayer

They went on their way, and the star they had seen in the
east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place
where the child was. When they saw the star, they were
overjoyed. – Matthew 2:9-10

In Psalm 19, David gives voice to the stars:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth
speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is
no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the
ends of the world. (Vss. 1-4)

If you have ever stood outside at night and looked up at
the canopy of stars, away from the city, away from noise,
you may have seen that the stars have a message. In
silence they speak, and their voice is thunderous.

The star of Bethlehem, a sign in the sky noted by the
Magi, may have been a miraculous event, matching the
miraculous entry of the Savior into the world, or it may
have been a natural astronomical phenomenon, used by
God as a sign. In either case, the heavens were speaking
in a unique way about a unique world-changing event.
Should that come as any surprise?

But note that only the observant recognized the sign, and
in this case, they were outsiders. God drew outsiders
toward Bethlehem with a word that he had placed in the
sky. Don’t ever doubt that God is speaking to the “outsider,”
and that those who seek will find. Christmas is both for
believers, and for those who have yet to come to faith. In
those days, it was a celestial sign that attracted the
attention of outsiders. Today, there are many signs that
Jesus accomplished something unique in the world, acts
arise out of and point to his holy character.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for putting your clear markers into this
world and into our lives so we can know that you are real,
and what you intend to do. May this Christmas be a new
marker for me.

(by Mel Lawrenz)