Good Morning,
When I wake up I'm sure it will be a beautiful day. The morning basketball has
been played and I asked the Lord why I had to get up so early and run with men
30 years younger than myself. The Lord said, "At your age if you stop running
rigormotis will set in!"
Will that bit of humor have anything to do with this mornings scripture?
Let's see.
Yesterday we talked about how God spoke to Joseph through a dream, in the
still of the night, God talks. Now we see Matthew 2:1&2 "After Jesus was
born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east
came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who is called King of the Jews?
We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him."
I call this the great identification. A verse ask the question, "Can anything
good come out of Bethlehem?" Bethlehem was a small insinificant poor town and
people from there were not taken seriously. But out of this poor, sinful,
insignificant town come the pure king who left heaven to dwell among men. By
being born in Bethlehem he identifies with the poorest of the poor.
So the question, "Can anything good come out of Bethlehem" is answered with a
resounding, YES!" The poorest of the poor are important to God and He can take
the no body and make somebody out of them.
In my travels to Kenya a huge cultural gap occurs. In the servant industry such
as those who wait tables for a living are considered non-people. The customers
look straight through them and order without and exchange of acknowledgement. An
American waiter or waitress is greeted with smile and a "How are you and a
polite conversation happens." The people are acknowledged.
It is these non-people that Jesus was born among. And in doing so he lifted them
and now Bethlehem is one of the most famous cities on earth.
This next point I call the great discernment. The Magi that came from the east
were consider "Wise men." As God had spoken to Joseph in a dream, God speaks to
the Magi through the stars. In both cases God spoke to men at night. As Joseph
was wise enough to heed the dream, these wise men knew the star they had seen
was different. One of the names of Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star and
again the Star of Righteousness.
The wise men looked into nature and discerned what was important. They wanted to
worship, "The King of the Jews." The Maji has the ability to discern what was
important. They left their homes to follow this star in order to worship. The
worship of God is very important.
In my morning routine I asked God why I had to rise early and run with men 20
years younger than me. Remember the answer, "If you stop running rigormotous
will set in."
I asked the Lord why I had to read the Bible and write this journal
everyday. He said, "Because if you don't deaditis will set in." A few
years ago my religion could have been called deadities because I complained
about everything, was bitter and hateful, and suffered greatly from the poor
me's. No one wants to be around a man whose religion is deadites.
Then God woke me up and started teaching me what was important, since then the
days have been beautiful. Gratitude, praise, thanksgiving, worship, family,
touching people with kindness. I am not a wise man, but I come from the east to
worship Him.
As the runner had to
get his pants on everyday, we run our race by picking up the Bible everyday.
See you next time, keep running, keep reading.