Behold the Wonder
Astronomical Joy
by Adria Wilkins on December 25, 2024
When was the last time you went outside at night and gazed at the stars? What thoughts or feelings did you have? It takes some effort to look up for any amount of time unless you are lying down.
One evening, I spent some time looking at the stars. Tears began to fill my eyes because of the wonder of God’s creations. The stars looked as if they were dancing as they glimmered and twinkled across the sky.
Genesis 1:16-18 says, “God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.”
One of the special stories surrounding the birth of Jesus was the arrival of the wise men from the east. We have very little information about the Magi that followed the star, but Matthew 2:1-2 says, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
The Magi noticed His star in the east. We read these stories each Christmas, and we hear about the star, but I never noticed that the Bible says, “His star.” I love it when God gives me a moment to stop and dwell on a word or passage.
Herod didn’t pause; he was troubled at what the Magi said. Matthew 2:7-11 says, “Then Herod secretly called for the Magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’ After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
They had been studying and trying to find Jesus. They had been looking at the sky and observing its patterns for a long time. When you are looking for a treasure, you have to look hard, be patient, and diligent. Matthew reports in verse 10, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Just for fun, they may have been overjoyed to complete their search because their necks were tired and sore from looking up! But I am sure their hearts leaped for joy to think they were getting close to the true King.
I wonder if the star became brighter, the closer they got to Jesus. As they approached the house where Jesus was, their hearts must have been filled with astronomical joy.
A Moment to Behold - Pause and Ponder: Experience Christmas in a new way this year. Go outside and look at the stars. Think of the wisemen as they followed the star. What do you think the wisemen’s journey was like? What feelings do you think you would experience if you had been one of the wise men?
(Adria is one of our NorthStar writers and can also be found at: https://www.adriawilkins.com/.)