Advent: Day Five

Oh I LOVE this part of the Christmas story!  It's always been my favorite, despite the fact that, when I was a tiny child, it rather frightened me.

Today's Advent Study Reading is Matt. 2:1-12, the story of the Wise Men.

I have such vivid memories of my parents reading this story to me when I was younger.  Every time I heard the story, I would be on the edge of my seat in anxiety about whether the Wise Men would go tell Herod where the baby Jesus was.  I don't know why I felt the outcome might change at any given reading of the tale, but I was genuinely terrified of Herod and I was afraid that, one day, he might be tricky enough to outwit the Wise Men.

But, here's the thing.  God is in control of this whole situation.  Maybe Herod is actually tricky enough to outwit the Wise Men.  That could certainly be the case.  But we'll never know because God is the one actually leading the Wise Men to His son, and He is powerful enough to direct their steps and bring them a dream, which guides them home a different way.

I tend to be a bit fearful about whether things will work out the way God actually wants them to work out.

Wow.  Even looking at that sentence sort of makes me laugh at myself.  What a crazy thing to be afraid of!

Nonetheless, I am afraid sometimes.  But it's stories like this one that really sort of knock me back to my senses and make me realize that, no matter what might be going on in our world, no matter what big-wig might seem to be trying to thwart God's plan, God is in control.

Did you catch that?  God is in control.  Regardless of momentary appearances to the contrary.