How Astrology Met Christmas

 I admit I am a star lover, a sky lover, a moon lover. I love to look at the vast sky and see the beauty if provides. Throw in a meteor shower and I feel like I am the luckiest person alive. 

As I was praying this morning, I began to cry - to cry for my family that struggles at Christmas, the lost family, the family crossed over, gone, moved on and just not here. I cried for what was and what is and what will be. Before long I was no longer shedding tears for prayers but now feeling sorry for myself. Funny how our emotions always land on self even in our best effort, with the best intentions of thinking of others. 

I began to search for comforting scripture and I just have not been able to get the "star" out of my mind. I decided to look up the star and see how it guided and comforted the wise men. 

I was in a play once and one of my lines was "oh the Star, if only he could find the star( the girl I played just wanted a non-believer to believe ) " I think of the song by Emmy Lou Harris - Oh beautiful star of Bethlehem and it has such a sweet meaning to me and my family. 

Oh, The Star.....

 It has so many names Star of David, Star of Bethlehem , the Wise men star, Star of the Magi, the guiding star and on and on. 

The beauty of the star is that it guided the wise men (or Magi) to Jesus. Funny how something so natural yet mysteriously confounding could guide the 'wise' men to Jesus but let's look further into this story. 

The Wise men were the only ones referred to in the Bible that followed the star. It wasn't like all of humanity were following a star to Jesus or that all got notice "follow that star" Nope... only the Wise men. 

Now the Wise men were esteemed men. They were the Persian educated men. In this category included the highly educated, scholars, priests, interpreters of special signs and especially astrology( hence why they paid attention to the stars or would even notice).

Saying, "where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." Matthew 2:2 It goes on to say in v9 it (the star) came to rest over the place where Jesus was, and v10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 

So,  see how astrology meets Christmas. The wise men who followed the star to Jesus though it seems simple, even magical, were educated men that God used. His spirit spoke into their inner beings and something as simple as nature was used to glorify God and his Son. 

"but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;" 1Cor 1:27

How did it comfort me? Well,  once again I am reminded of God's omnipotence. I am reminded that though things are not as they were, or not as I want them to be in the fantasy I create in my mind, or how I think they should be, God is my Father and he loves me and if he can orchestrate a bunch of scholarly educated men to find Jesus then He can help my family and my loved ones find Jesus. 

He is Christmas. 

That beautiful star we put on our trees is the promise of the Heavens that God is God and he created it all and can use it all to bring men to Him. 

Bethlehem Christmas Wallpapers - Top Free Bethlehem Christmas Backgrounds - WallpaperAccess

 

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