“What hope we hold this starlit night;
a King is born in Bethlehem
Our journey long, we seek the light
that leads to the hallowed manger ground?”
“Emmanuel”
Stars have been used by many as a
means of navigation for many centuries before technology. Sailors in
Newfoundland relied on them on their journeys to find their way home when the
waters were ferocious and uncertain.
The Star of Bethlehem leads the wise
men and their servants on a long treacherous journey from the East (Parthia and
Persia). There was a risk in their visit to Herod to discover where the
“newborn King” was found since even mentioning another King was dangerous. The
star leads them onward and stops where Emmanuel rests and they deliver their
gifts to the King. Does the star stay after the wise men leave? Or does it
guide them on another path home? The Gospel does not say.
Faith journeys can also be like the
sea at times: vast, tempestuous at times, and uncertain. Yet God is always
present, like the Bethlehem star, showing us the way in times of fear and
struggle if we only look to God.
God of
guidance,
You gave the wise men a star to follow on the long and winding way to Bethlehem to witness to Emmanuel. Help us to place our trust in you on our own journey in faith, even when the way is long and uncertain. Amen.
-----Victoria Featherston
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