When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route,
for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

Matthew 2:12 NLT

I love that God has the wise men’s back. He doesn’t allow them to go back to Herod, which would probably be a case of taking their lives in their hands. Instead, he warns them in a dream to take another route. And I love that the wise men are so open to the voice of God.

I mean – they saw a star and believed that the Messiah had come. They had a dream, so they altered their travel plans. These guys are either really odd and flaky, or their hearts are deeply attuned to the voice of God.

My favourite preacher is a guy by the name of Erwin McManus. He calls himself a mystic, and often takes heat from certain sections of Christianity for it. Personally, I love the thought of being a Christian mystic. I think the wise men were mystics, and it lead them to the birth place of the Christ child. If being a mystic gets you closer to God, closer to Christ, then sign me up!

In the end, the thing that this verse communicates to me, is that I don’t have to rely on my own plans. In the end, God’s got it figured out, and if we allow ourselves to be open to him, God will speak into our lives. God’s plans are better than anything I can come up with.

So how about it – why not try being a mystic in the next few days? Open your heart and your mind to the voice of God. Allow that God’s voice might come to you from the starry sky, or a dream, or some other unconventional source. Trust that God does indeed want to talk to you, and if your heart is open to him, you WILL be able to hear him!