“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”...After listening to the
king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen
when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where
the child was. Matthew 2:2,9
This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas. Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 8 of Advent, and today Piper pauses on the Magi's visit to Jesus in the manger (see post yesterday) and how some become overly fascinated (i.e. how did it move and guide the Magi, how did is rest over the manger, etc.) with the star in v2 and 9. He warns us that we should not become overly fascinated these details because, first of all, we do not know. He shares that "[t]here are numerous efforts to explain it in terms of conjunctions of planets or comets or supernovas or miraculous lights. We just don’t know. And I want to exhort you not to become preoccupied — not to become fixated — on theories that are only tentative in the end and have very little spiritual significance." He then goes on to extend this warning out to other natural phenomena in the Bible: "I risk a generalization to warn you: People who are exercised and preoccupied with such things, as how the star worked and how the Red Sea split and how the manna fell and how Jonah survived the fish and how the moon turns to blood, are generally people who have what I call a mentality for the marginal." For such matters, believers should focus on what is known to be true: "[the star] is guiding magi to the Son of God to worship him....There is only one Person in biblical thinking that can be behind that intentionality in the stars: God himself. So, the lesson is plain: God is guiding foreigners to Christ to worship him. And he is doing it by exerting global — probably even universal — influence and power to get it done." This is the central theme of Piper's book Providence - which is the "all-encompassing reality of God’s purposeful sovereignty over all of creation and all of history." We should avoid getting caught up in how God works (He is a mystery - Isaiah 55:8). Instead, believers should rest in knowing God is in control (Colossians 1) of all things, big and small, and He loves us.
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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who created the Heavens and Earth, everything in it, You are in all the details, and You love me and all Your children! Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of such blessings and love. My sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
