This is my first year doing an advent calendar, and here it is the 14th of December and I’m already ready for the baby to be born. Yikes.

Well, in interest of getting closer to the 25th before the baby makes his appearance, I thought I’d turn to the wise men. I know they come at Epiphany…I know that the baby has become a child by the time they show up, but they are part of the story and I want to spend some time thinking about them.

 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.
About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,and we have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2: 1, 2

I love the wise men. I love that, though they are from another place and another culture, the birth of the Christ child draws them in. They travel far with nothing but a star to guide them. And all they want is to worship him.

I wonder if they knew what that even meant. Probably not. Maybe it just describes their desire to come, to see and to bring gifts. They just want to be in his presence. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s what we are meant to do every time we turn our hearts to God.

Do you want to start your day in a better way? Begin by longing to be in his presence. Do you want church to be more meaningful? Enter each Sunday with the expectation that you will be in his presence. Do you struggle with how to make your job/relationship/everyday existence meaningful? Begin by being in his presence, and the meaning will come.

We have so much to learn from the mysterious travelers from the East. In the next few days, find a way – maybe a moment of prayer, maybe reading your Bible, maybe listening to some inspirational music, maybe going for a walk – to spend a few extra moments concentrating on being in his presence.