The Chosen Star ~ Valerie Ronald

 

                                                                                                (photo credit: © Alyn Wallace)

 I am called Al Na’ir, the Bright One. This is my story of how Elohim, Creator of all, called me from among the stars of His universe to perform a most sacred task. Countless are we who light the night skies, though not by Elohim, who determines our number and knows each of us by name. I will never forget His voice calling me, like the sound of a rushing mighty wind.

I was formed in the Pleiades cluster, one of a group of stars with a common motion through the firmament. Each of us were made unique, differing in splendour from star to star. Our voices, if that is what the sound of stars can be called, sang together at the dawn of our creation with praises to Elohim.

A frisson of expectation had been rippling throughout the heavens for some time when I first heard Elohim’s voice. I dare not venture to know why He chose me to be a herald for the advent of His most pivotal epiphany. Pride has no place in such a holy service to my Creator.

Specific coordinates of my position in the heavens caused my luminosity to be particularly evident to astronomers throughout Babylon and Mesopotamia, during the reign of Phraates V. Influential men of those lands, known as Magi, read the night skies for portents of what was to come. They gathered knowledge from cultures far and wide, including the Jews. As my light grew, the bright glimmering recalled to their minds the foretelling in ancient manuscripts of a Jewish Messiah, an anointed king whose birth would be confirmed with the sign of a star.

“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult.” 1 

Elohim stirred a desire in the hearts of certain Magi to undertake a journey to see this king for themselves. The wise men and their retinue traveled many days from east to west, across deserts and mountains. Their destination was Jerusalem, the Jewish holy city, where they inquired, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

So this was my calling! I, Al Na’ir, had been raised by Elohim to herald the birth of His son, the Messiah, foretold for centuries as the coming King. Could any star be given a more profound mission?

Disturbed by the Magi’s inquiries, the reigning king, Herod, discovered that the small town of Bethlehem of Judea was where this Messiah was to be born. He sought out the Magi to find out exactly when they first noticed the sign of my radiance shining in the night sky. Then he sent them to Bethlehem to search for the child and report back with his whereabouts so he could worship him also. In fact, he was plotting to destroy this perceived threat to his rule.

Nightfall revealed swaths of twinkling stars flung across the ebony sky, as beauteous as a sea of diamonds. I rose high among them, proceeding across the cosmos to guide the Magi to the objective of their search, where I stopped. Their joy at my appearance caused me to glimmer and shine all the brighter, just for them. Beneath my beams stood the house where the child resided ˗˗ Heaven’s glory now abiding in a humble village home tucked in the hills of Bethlehem ˗˗ Elohim wrapped in newborn skin ˗˗ God incarnate. As miraculous as I knew the endless expanse of the universe to be, it paled in comparison to the wonder of God becoming human.

Bowing down before the child with His mother, the Magi worshiped Him. They knew His significance, though many before and after them would deny who He was. They knew He was not just an earthly king, but One who had come to be the Savior of the world. Their costly gifts signified what God had revealed to them. Gold to honor a king, frankincense, often sprinkled on temple sacrifices, and myrrh, an unusual gift for a newborn king as it was used in embalming the dead. All were gifts testifying to the child’s royalty, His deity and His eventual sacrificial death on behalf of humanity.

My mission in that epoch of time is complete. I am most grateful to Elohim for choosing me to light the way for the Magi to find the newborn Messiah. Celestial celebrations mark His birth, yet I am sobered by the knowledge that He came to be a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. As a heavenly luminary, I am but a pinprick of light compared to the glory of the Morning Star, Jesus Christ, destined to live again as eternal Lord and King, whose light will shine forever. Praise His holy name! 

1  Numbers 24:17 NKJV

More of Valerie's work can be read on her blog:

https://scriptordeus.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

Christmas Gifts From Wise Men by Marnie Pohlmann

I opened gifts yesterday. Did you?

And I gave gifts, too. Did you give gifts?

I enjoyed time with my eternal family at a Christmas Eve candlelight service, and at a Christmas Day worship service. I prepared and shared a meal with my loved ones. Did your preparation for Christmas make the day as special as you hoped?

And today is Boxing Day. All we have prepared for is done. Are you hanging on to yesterday, still treasuring this celebration before daily life begins again?

The good news is, Christmas continues!

Scripture reveals the story is not finished. The birth of Jesus, which we celebrate on Christmas day, is recorded in the Bible, where we can read “the rest of the story.”

One part of the Christmas story that happens after the birth of the baby-king is written in Matthew, Chapter 2, which gives account of wise men who traveled to present gifts to the prophesied Messiah. There is not a lot of information about the Magi, or the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that they brought, but traditions offer some thoughts.

The Magi

             were wise men,

             astrologers, prophets, and/or dream interpreters.

             Seekers of the King.

Gold

             was a gift of riches,

             a symbol of earthly kingship.

             Jesus as King.

Frankincense

             was a perfume,

             a symbol of deity.

             Jesus as God, Messiah.

Myrrh

             was an anointing oil,

             a symbol of death.

             Jesus as mortal man.

We hear a lot about what Christmas means in the world today. The birth of a Saviour, God with us, is often not considered, is not popular, is forgotten, or is completely unknown.

Dare I say…

Christmas is not about family coming together for meals.

Christmas is not about gift giving to loved ones, to those less fortunate than you, or to strangers.

Christmas is not about fighting winter’s dark with festive lights and parties.

(Gasp!)

And yet…

And yet, that is exactly what Christmas is about.

Today, so many years after the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Magi, we too can present gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus.

             Gold

             gifts and charity,

             given to the world God loves.

             God become man, through us.

             Frankincense

             sweet scent,

             gathered together as family.

             God’s people, praising Him.

             Myrrh

             anointing oil of death,

             light of Hope in dark places.

             God’s life, forever.

We can be like the wise men.

We can discover Truth and learn of God by studying His Word. The Magi studied ancient writings to discover what the star that appeared meant.

Are you searching Scripture to learn about the King?

We can be seekers, leaving the comforts of home, family, and career to follow where God leads. Abraham did so. The disciples did so. The wise men did so.

Will you go where God leads?

We can offer our gifts to God, even when God doesn’t look or act the way we think He does or He should. The wise men meant their gifts for royalty. They were looking for a king, yet when the learned explorers found a baby in a lowly manger rather than a king in a palace, they still presented their gifts and worshiped Him.

When the God you meet is not who you expect or want, will you still worship Him?

If your Christmas celebration did not include time for Jesus, remember that the story is not over. The greatest gift has been given, yet there is still time to search for, follow, and worship the Messiah.

Open your heart and life to the present (gift) of God’s present (right now) presence (with you) and in response, you can give to Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Marnie writes from Taylor, BC. Check out her blog, Phosphorescent, at marniewriter.com

Following the Star by Marnie Pohlmann

Festive lights sparkle and reflect diamonds in the snow. The colours of Christmas displayed on the street make our neighbourhood welcoming and cheerful. Some nights, the northern lights join in the celebration, dancing across the night sky. My gaze lifts to where stars travel across black velvet, and I consider the Magi of the Christmas story.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2 NKJV)

The wise men had been studying the skies, and saw a bright star. They searched through literature to determine what they could know of the star, and found a prophesy declaring a King would be born - not just any king, but a king who would change the world. So they began a journey to find and honour this baby king.

Tradition and Biblical scholars indicate the Magi were wealthy, educated men of high standing in their community yet still, they undertook a spiritual pilgrimage, leaving the comfort of home, position, and power. They followed a star, not knowing where it would lead, but knowing it was important to do something with the information they found.

Have you made time this Christmas to travel about and view the lights of the season, both man-made and God-provided? While we can travel around town in the daytime and may notice the decorations, it is really only in the dark of night that we witness the wondrous displays in all their glory. This year, as people seem to lament the darkness of the world, perhaps we see the lights especially bright, and we remember the hope of Christ shines in darkness.

 … and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:9-11 NKJV)

After the magi found and worshiped Jesus, these wise men returned to their homes. Was their intellectual curiosity satisfied? Were they soulfully changed by their encounter with Immanuel? Did they continue to walk in the light of God, sharing their experiences – the wonder, threats, dreams, struggles, and the discovery of the Christ-child? Scripture does not elaborate on the effect this spiritual journey had on the Magi, but perhaps we ourselves will return home after seeing the light of Christmas, ready to share our meeting with Immanuel.

God’s light does clearly shine in the darkness of today, inviting us on a spiritual journey and drawing us to Him. As we consider the Magi, we must wonder – are we willing to travel in God’s path, not knowing where He is leading? Are we willing to sacrifice comfort and riches to seek Truth, following the star, to worship Christ? The journey may be difficult and could be dangerous, but we must do something with what we know, study, and reflect on.

Better to illuminate than merely to shine, 
to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate. 
- Thomas Aquinas

Photo Credits:

Northern Lights: CCO license - pexels.com

Magi: Marnie Pohlmann

Christmas Star: CCO license - pixabay.com 

Epiphany in Infancy by Connie Inglis

                          (The Adoration of the Magi by Jacob Jordaens)

Epiphany: (Oxford Dictionary)
1. The manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.
2. A moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.

I do not think it coincidental that these are the two definitions of the word epiphany. I see them as  related. The Great Revelation of Christ to the magi--that "magical" awareness 2000+ years ago that this infant was God in human form--is not difficult to connect to that same "magical" realization that happens for us in a moment of epiphany. I believe it to be a Holy Spirit-driven awareness, an awareness that is not exclusive but inclusive. That's why I like Jordaen's version of this event--it is not just the magi that are there, but the simple townsfolk, people like me, who are there too, taking in that epiphanic moment.
 
The greatest epiphany in my life came when I tasted God's love and turned my life over to Jesus. Since then I have had a number of epiphanic moments in my faith walk. In my writing, however, there was no sudden burst of awareness but a subtle drawing to a desire.  My epiphanic moment arrived in infancy and has grown over time.

I shared in a previous post that I first started writing when I was nine or ten years old. I was working on a science fiction story, complete with illustrations, when one day I came home to find my mom had accidentally thrown away all my work that I had kept hidden in a manila envelope in the closet. I was devastated and sad and my pen remained silent for the next 35 years (Other than inconsistent journaling). And just like Jesus' birth came at a time in Jewish history when God had been silent, so my moment of inspiration came at a time when God seemed far away and I was in need of some encouragement. Surprisingly, the words flowed with ease and spilled out on to the page.

It was early 2006--the year our firstborn would be graduating from high school, returning to Canada and going on to secondary education while the rest of us remained in Thailand. It was a time of uncertainty for us as parents and yes, fear. But it was also a time when all three of our children were coming into their own, particularly with their giftedness in art: our daughters in fine art, our son in graphic art (Art on left by daughters Mykal and Kendra). It took me back to my childhood and my love for writing and art. The creativity I thought I had lost but now saw in my children, pulled me back into its realm. I was inspired or, as Madeleine L'Engle puts it, "in-spirited." It truly was Spirit-driven in its infancy. And God has kept me there, quietly helping me develop in it ever since. My epiphany i.e. His epiphany, came in the form of the following poem, a poem dedicated to my children:

THE ARTIST

The artist’s eye

            --seeing the unseen

Dip. Stroke.

Turning on the

            Light bending a brush with 1,000 colours—

            to a cataract world.

Gray-scale becomes

azure, magenta, chartreuse.

The artist’s ear

            --hearing the still, small Voice

Weave. Blot.

A single ink dot meaningless,

            but corporately—masterfully

            fortissimo to a deafened world.

Muffled becomes

pure yellow, blue, red.

The artist’s touch

            --molding the Supra-dimensional

Fire. Bisque. Fire.

A lump spinning on a wheel,

            driven emotion takes form through

            unique fingerprints—controlled strength.

Dull clod becomes

smooth, lustrous, unblemished.

The artist

            Creator-charged—

breathes life into the medium

and takes your breath away.

The Mark of Magi

© Glynis M. Belec 2010

“Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.
Matthew 1:1-3

Magi’s chocolate-brown eyes opened wide. The baa’s and the moo’s and the cock-a-doodle-do’s were music to his long ears.

He took a deep breath and stepped out of his familiar pen.

"Be careful,” his mother warned.

“I will,” Magi smiled.

“Be polite,” she instructed.

"Always,” he said.

Magi spotted two lambs playing in the golden straw.

“Do you want to play with me?” Magi asked. They looked at Magi.

“No, we do not want to play with you. Your ears are funny and we can baa-rely stop laughing at you,” giggled the lambs. “Why does the master call you Magi? Magi means king. You are not a king. One day our wool will be spun into fine clothing. You are not like us. Go away and don’t come baaa-ck anymore.”
Magi turned away. He still wanted to find a playmate. The cow pen was just around the corner.

He pressed his nose against the rickety wooden door. It slowly creaked open.

“Do you want to play with me?” Magi asked the brown and white calf.

“No,” the calf laughed. “That strange stripe on your back is ugly. You are not like me. When I get older my rich milk will be served to royalty. Now mooo-ve away from my gate,” said the calf. “I am not in the mooo-d to play with a useless donkey like you.”

Magi’s big ears drooped. His barn world was not as he expected.
Magi walked to the back of the barn. He heard a wonderful sound.

“Cock-a-doodle-do…you mind?” said a scratchy voice. Magi looked up.

“Oh, Aw-EE, Aw-EE, excuse me,” Magi said staring at the fine, young rooster on the rafter. “Do you want to play with me?” asked Magi

“Humph! No, I do not want to play with you,” squawked the rooster. “You are just a useless donkey with an odd voice. You are not like me. I am beautiful. I am special. When I get old enough I will be the reason the master wakes up in the morning. Go away. I have to practice.”

A tear dripped down Magi’s soft fur. His barn world was not a happy place after all.
Magi went back to his pen. He was surprised to see the master standing beside his mother.

“Hurry, Magi,” she whispered “we are leaving.”

Magi followed his mother and the master through the barn. It did not bother the other animals to see Magi leave the barn.

“We won’t miss his ears,” said the lambs.

“I won’t miss his ugly brown stripe,” said the calf.

“I won’t miss the awful noise he makes,” said the rooster.

Magi thought how he might miss the barn. It was his home. Magi followed his mother and the master. He thought about his big, long ears, the ugly brown stripe on his back and the funny sound his voice made. He was sad and wondered why he could not give fancy wool or rich milk or make beautiful sounds like the other creatures.

“No wonder they don’t like me,” he sniffed. “I am not special.”

They reached a dark, quiet building on the other side of town. The master took the lead rope and tied Magi’s mother to a big metal ring on the door. The master reached out and gently stroked Magi. Magi felt warm inside for a minute but, as he watched the master walk away, he sighed.

A group of men soon approached the two donkeys.

“Ahh…these must be the animals of which the Teacher speaks,” said one.

Magi hid behind his mother. What were these men talking about? Who was…the Teacher?

Magi’s mother willingly went with the men who untied her rope.

“Come along, Magi,” she said. “The time has come.” Magi did not know what she meant but he could tell she was not afraid. So he followed her.

Back at the barn, the sheep had stopped playing. The calf was looking out the window and the rooster was not practicing. They heard strange sounds coming from the village. The voices got louder and nearer.

A blast of air filled the barn as the door burst open. The master ran in, laughing and dancing. The rooster ruffled his feathers and flew up to the rafters. The lambs stuck their heads in the golden straw. The calf hid behind the rickety, wooden door.

“He has come! Jesus has come as they said He would, and He rides upon the back of my very own little donkey! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” the master shouted. He grabbed his cloak from a wooden peg and disappeared into the crowd.

Hours later, the excitement died down in the village. The barn was quiet. The rooster was still perched on the rafter. The calf was still in his pen and the lambs hid in the golden straw.

Crunch…crunch…The footsteps got closer and closer. The door creaked open. The master led Magi and his mother through the door. Magi pranced in. His ears stood straight up. His fur glistened and shimmered in the sunlight.

The master untied the rope and gently stroked the stripe on Magi’s back. Then he smiled at Magi’s mother. Just before the master left he quietly bowed, as if before a king.

“Look!” said the rooster.

The sheep and the calf looked at Magi’s back. They had not noticed the other stripes on Magi’s shoulders. It looked like a cross.

"What could it mean?” worried one of the lambs.

“Did you see the master bow to Magi?” said the calf. “It must mean that Magi - is a king after all.”

Magi looked at his mother and smiled. Then he looked at the animals.

“No, I am not a king.” Magi turned to the animals.

“But I was chosen by a King.”

***********************************

Interesting donkey fact: Most donkeys, regardless of coat color, have a dorsal stripe and a shoulder cross often described as a ‘donkey cross’.