October 21

October 21, 2010


My wife Kathie tells an interesting childhood memory she has of Christmas Day. When she was 9 years old she had one of those Christmases when she received everything she wanted. But later that Christmas day she realized even though her stocking was full, her heart was empty. In the afternoon her family went over to the Grandparents and Kathie made her way to a quiet room to be by herself. There she sat in the quietness with a profound sadness in her heart. She knew that she had received the dreams of every girl that Christmas, but there had to be more to Christmas then just receiving toys. That is an amazing insight from a 9 year old!!

Most people in their heart of hearts know that material things do not satisfy the longing of the human soul but they still can’t find the courage to actually surrender to God’s plan of soul satisfaction. The lie of, “he who dies with the most toys -- wins” still rules in our hearts.

The Wise Men give us a very different perspective on what will satisfy the human heart. A few insights from their journey:

1. They had the wisdom to follow God’s leading. God gave them a star to follow and they had the wisdom to do exactly that. Wise people let God lead them and they follow. The main way God leads us is through his Word. Your commitment to read his word every day is very wise. In these scriptures we will find the true King.

2. Wise people see through the glitter. King Herod and the religious establishment was the glitter. King Herod was the original Neon Deon of his time. But the Wise Men knew their search was not for glitter, the goal is not stuff, the goal is Jesus.

3. Wise people spend time in worship. The scene of these great men bowing down to an infant is astounding. Picture this, PhD’s from Yale and Harvard, bowing down, worshiping, adoring, and admiring an infant. At the heart of our response to God's gift of his Son is worship. Wise people still worship him. SO here is the integrity issue of the day, how much time will you spend today in worship of the King? Put your response in minutes ______. Worship is always on the “Do List” of wise people.

People think they want stuff, pleasure, recognition, popularity, status, and power, but the pursuit of these things leads to emptiness, delusion, and foolishness. God has set eternity in our heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and our deepest desires are only fulfilled in finding the “Eternal One.” This is true for wise people and even 9 year old girls.