It’s Monday and the special day is nearly upon us. Not much time
left to get things done. So much preparation and then the day gets here before
you know it. Our pastor was talking about the wise men who came to see the baby
Jesus. We see the entire nativity story as one day’s events. But the story
actually was spread out over a while. The fact that the wise men came “from
afar” lets us know that they had to travel a distance to get there. It may have taken days or even weeks to
arrive. Even if they traveled on camels it would take a while. They had to find shelter along the way, they
had to avoid enemies and dangerous places.
They had to plan the trip and hope for good weather and might have even
encountered sandstorms or worse.
Everything worthwhile takes planning and takes a while. Not
many great things are done in a hurry or with haste. Our walk of faith is like
the trip of the wise men. We are born again of incorruptible seed. But we must
grow into Christ-likeness. We learn the Word, we go through things, we become
overcomers and we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord. Experience teaches us that Christ is all we need.
Time teaches us that God is faithful. Study teaches us what the Word says, but
the trip we take in the flesh seals the facts for us. We walk out our walk of
faith and it takes a while. To become wise men and women of God will take our
entire life.
God knows your hearts’ desires. He knows that you want
things to be just right. He also knows that you want to hurry things along,
including your faith. It often seems,
doesn’t it, that just as you feel you have arrived at the pinnacle of your
faith walk, another mountain comes upon the scene and you must make it over.
You want to “arrive” just as the wise men did. You want to sit at Jesus’ feet
and let the world go by. But it takes time to live this life. It’s a trip worth
taking, if you remember that your arrival, your final destiny, is to be with
Jesus in heaven forever. Until then, this is a learning experience that takes
time and effort and planning. There will be mistakes along the way and perils
and troubles and trials. There will be times when the devil will work against
you. Other times your flesh will try to reign supreme. And there’s always other
people who disappoint, discourage, disagree and pronounce untruths on your
life. Friends walk away, loved ones quit loving and life gets rough. Hard times
will make you want to turn back, but God is with you, guiding, protecting,
interceding and caring for you all the way.
Oh beloved, rejoice in this most blessed season while there
is time. You are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to be all He wants
you to be, to go where He wants you to go and to be a living, visible sign that
God has a plan for everyone’s life. You may feel unworthy, unprepared and
undone much of the time along the way. But each and every mountain you face or
valley you make it through is preparation for becoming more like Christ. The Holy Spirit is guiding you, even in the
hard times, for you have a destination just as the wise men all those years
ago. Your destination is to live in heaven with Jesus forever. This is no
demotion, this is your promotion. So
enjoy the trip, take plenty of the Word with you, along with peace, comfort,
joy, abiding faith and enduring love.
Just as those wise men needed their travel needs to be met,
you will need the whole council of God’s Word to make it, but beloved you are
going to make it, because God loves you and He’s for you. Because God’s plan for your life is surrounded
and filled with His love and His care, you are an overcomer who will arrive at
every checkpoint of faith, growing into His image on every turn. Keep
traveling, keep walking and keep looking to Jesus, who is the author and
finisher of your faith.
1 John 4:17 And as we live in God, our love grows more
perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him
with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Colossians 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as
you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.
John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have
peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take
heart, because I have overcome the world.
Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the
desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us
everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him
who called us by His own glory and excellence.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has
not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be
like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
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