About those Wise Men.....

I saw a message recently. It is the same message written on different things. Sometimes I notice it on a bumper sticker, or on a t-shirt, but the message remains the same and I believe it speaks more truth than most people realize.

The message simply says this: “Wise men still seek Him”.

And this reminds me of a story.

In the Spring of 2005, I met a fellow, named Rick L., who later grew into one of the best friends I have ever known, and he strongly encouraged me to attend a Men’s Discipleship Walk. Repeatedly. He had just gotten back from a “Walk”, and was very enthusiastic about it. I was new to our church and wasn’t too sure I even wanted to go. I didn’t know anything about it. I had been on several men’s retreats before, but he assured me this one would be different. I agreed to go since I figured that if I didn’t, this guy wouldn’t leave me alone until I went on one.

One Thursday evening, all the new “disciples” were to meet at the church to travel up to….wherever the place was, but due to work issues, I got there a little late. In fact, all the other “disciples” had already left the church and were on their way to……someplace I didn’t know. Rick was there and I thought I would just ride up with him. That’s when he told me he wasn’t going, since he’d already been on the last Walk.

Now what do I do? I only know one person in this entire church and he isn’t going! I thought about leaving and going home but someone had already taken my bags. Since I had missed out on the meal (apparently they feed you first), the guys in the kitchen were rather gracious and quickly put something together for me to eat. (It was good!)
Then they said that there was another guy getting ready to go up to ….. that place I don’t know and had never been to before….. and that I could ride up with him. They just wouldn’t let me drive my own vehicle. Needless to say, I was starting to get concerned. Rick had already left. I was all alone.

One of the guys walked with me out to the front of the church where a car had just pulled up. The guy opened the door, ushered me inside the car and said that “Don” would be driving me up to the Walk. All this talk about a Walk made me wonder of I had the right shoes packed for this weekend.

The driver turned out to be a nice fellow named Don S. Don and I had a great time talking as he drove and we got to know each other during that hour or so drive. On that brief ride, Don inspired me more than he realized, so much in fact, that I have shared his story with many others.

Don told me that he has two copies of the DVD “The Passion of the Christ”. He has one in the video player in his home, and one in the drive in his laptop computer. He has memorized the location of the exact scene in the movie where it shows the beating, the punishment and the crucifixion of Jesus. Whenever he is feeling low, when he feels like life is unfair or if he’s just having a bad day, Don cues up that scene and watches it. He says it reminds him of what Jesus went through, just for us. I agree with Don when he said that none of my problems could ever measure up to the sacrifice or the pain that Jesus went through, just so that I wouldn’t have to personally experience that kind of pain and suffering.

None of my pains, none of problems, none of my discouragements, could ever equal what Christ did for me on the Cross.

The wise men (magi) who sought out the Christ child so long ago understood who they were looking for. When they found Him, they presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Those first two gifts were fit for royalty, but the third represented His death. You see, in Jesus' day, bodies were wrapped in myrrh for burial. Myrrh's pungent odor neutralized the smell of decomposing flesh. Those men were not being disrespectful, they knew the real purpose of this new born king. They understood why He came here and what would be asked of Him.

They were wise men who sought Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Most High God. And they found Him, right here on earth.

It is my desire and my intention to seek Him every day. To walk with Him, talk with Him (sounds like a song, doesn’t it), and fellowship with Him every day. And on those days when I get so caught up in myself that I forget, He seeks me out and reminds me that He loves me through my family, my friends, and all the other blessings He’s bestowed upon me. He has proven to me time and time again that His Word is true in that He is always with me, that He will never leave me and that He will never forsake me. I kind of like that.

Just some things to think about.

Blessings to you and yours.

Merry Christmas.