1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “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.” ~ Matthew 2:1-2
These wise men, or astrologers, packed up and made over a 1600-mile trip following a star. A trip this distance would take the travel somewhere around eight months or more one way. And that is, if they were coming from the Babylon area, it would be even longer if it was from Susa.
Now, they just didn’t jump in the car or call a transport service and drive to the airport, they had to walk or ride some type of animal, and usually, it was camels for such long distances. Camels were preferred because they didn’t need watering as often as horses.
So, these men as soon as they saw the star and began packing and preparing for a year-and-a-half round trip journey, it would take them a while to organize all of that. They would have probably taken their meat on the hoof. Their milk on the hoof, whether it was cow milk or goat’s milk. Then they had to make sure they had enough water and enough food to sustain all of those animals and themselves. They probably had to bring workers to care for the animals and to pack and unpack. And they probably had some type of bodyguard with them as well. I mean, they were carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This was a huge entourage. This wasn’t just some weekend getaway.
There was a lot of pre-trip planning and preparation that went into preparing for this journey. Today, people have no plans for eternity. Christmas has come and gone. Jesus has been born in Bethlehem. He was crucified, He has risen from the dead, and He has ascended into Heaven.
In other words, His star has risen; are you now seeking “Him who is born the King of the Jews?” Don’t let the pressures of life distract you. Don’t let the lure of wealth divert your attention. Don’t let the length of the journey intimidate you. Don’t let the treacherous and perilous road keep you from starting.
I admit serving Jesus is not always fun and games. It isn’t always blessings and mountain tops, sunshine, and cool breezes. It will have ups and downs, valleys and rain, dark clouds, and persecution. God didn’t promise us a happy-go-lucky life. We are called to do His will, whatever that will is, because His will for us is good and perfect. Then if we endure to the end, He has promised us a perfect eternity, which is by far, much, much better than anything we could ever imagine or think.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Plan For Eternity.
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