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Saints Teach Us How to Wait

Anna and Jesus

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Angels, from the Realms of Glory
By: James Montgomery, 1771-1854 (1816)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read.  Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

We continue our journey to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Savior.  This week we consider the saints who are bending their lives to the will of God at the altar of God.  Their role in the story shows us that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Tuesday, we looked at Simeon.  Today Anna.  Let’s think about this.

Anna

We looked at Simeon on Tuesday and were challenged to hold on to our hope of seeing God’s salvation in our lives.  We know a little more about Simeon than we do Anna, including the prayer he offered in praise to God for fulfilling His promise.  Still, there are a few things we see in Anna’s life which make me so thankful she is included in the Luke account of Jesus’ birth.

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,  and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.[a]She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.  And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.  Luke 2:36-38 (ESV)

What do we see about her in this passage?

  • She was a prophetess.
  • Though married, she had long been a widow.
  • She never left the temple.
  • She was poised to praise.

What do we glean from these things?

  • She spoke for God.  And that was a dangerous thing for if one of the “thus sayeth the Lord” statements did not come true, she should have been stoned.  People who speak for God sometimes have very challenging lives because the messages they are compelled to share are sometimes difficult for their listeners to hear.  We do not know anything she said, but she was obviously regarded as a person who spoke from God and had nonetheless lived a long life.
  • She had lived many years alone, with no companion but God.  Such a journey tends to have one of two effects on people.  They become either bitter or better.  And being a widow, let alone a prophesying widow, in that day would not have easy.  Still, she remained faithful to God.
  • So abandoned was she to the Lord that she never left the Temple.  Some commentators argue that this means she was there every time the doors opened, but we know there were rooms within the temple complex and it is possible someone of her renown and station may have actually lived there.
  • Though she likely lived a challenging life, had God alone as her life-long companion, and spent all of her time in the temple, she was still poised to praise God for sending His Messiah.  “At that very hour” she began to praise and speak to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Israel.

 

Waiting Like Her

Living Like Anna

So, on the heels of yet another celebration of the appearing of the Savior, what will you learn from Anna?  Are you willing to wait as she did.  Are you poised for praise now, and will you commit to still be ready decades from now?

Let’s think about this.

Do you realize you are called to speak for God?  You may not consider yourself a prophet, but in becoming Jesus’ disciple, you were invited into a believing family that has been commanded to share everything we know as often as we have opportunity about our Savior.  Scripture says effectively, as you are going, or along the way, make disciples.  [Matthew 28:19] Are you willing to engage in that process?

Are you finding your satisfaction in God alone?  Married for only 7 years and a widow at 84, we assume Anna was alone with no companion but God for possibly 60 years or more.  Whether it is a relationship or some other affection, is your desire for God greater still, and can you say He is enough for you.  If you are compelled to find satisfaction in something besides God, you may not be emulating Anna’s desperate dependence on Him in your life.  Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how consuming is your passion for Him alone?

Ok, I am not saying you should live at the church, but what might be a parallel in modern day for Anna’s abiding in the temple?  Well, the Scripture ask the question, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?” [I Corinthians 6:19]  Whoa! That brings it close to home.  We do not have to live somewhere else to be near God.  Quite the contrary, we need to be mindful to make our bodies and our lives places where it is obvious God lives.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you today if there is anything hindering your living out the reality that He is living in you, believer?

Anna obviously had ears to hear what the Spirit was saying to her [Matthew 11:15], and had lived a life of sharing that with others. She immediately began to share what God had revealed to her in the sending of His Son as proclaimed by Simeon.  We are commanded to do the same, as we teach others everything the Lord has shown to us.  [Matthew 28:20] Are you willing to follow Anna’s example and join Jesus in the work that He has entrusted to us?

These are some big questions to ponder as we round out the Christmas celebrations.  May they serve to lift your spirits as you consider the fact that, like Anna, you are invited into something much bigger than yourself.  Merry Christmas my friends!

 

Spirit, thank You for giving us the example of waiting we see in Anna and Simeon.  Their patience is remarkable and inspiring.  But it was obviously active as well, or they may have missed those moments when Jesus came to be dedicated.  Help us to make the most of the moments You show Yourself to us as they did. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Patient Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness?  Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here.  Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library.  We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below!  It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.

Podcast 12.4 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

Saints, before the altar bending,

1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV
…to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Simply put, saints are simply those who have decided to call on the Lord.  When we do we have chosen to humble ourselves before Him. We approach His altar with reverence and set ourselves apart for His purposes.  Will you, like Simeon, humble yourself before God.

  Watching long in hope and fear;

I Corinthians 1:7-8 ESV
…so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and saw the salvation of God with His own eyes.  He was able to depart in peace. There is an interesting mingling of hope and fear in our watching.  Do you feel both those realities, fear of His righteousness and hope in His mercy?

Suddenly the Lord, descending,

Malachi 3:1a ESV
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; 

So we wait on Him and seek Him, as we hope to see His appearing.  The prophet promises that God’s appearing will be sudden. He will come to His temple.  Anna was so fervent she never left the temple. She experienced His coming and gave thanks to God!  Will you seek Him?

  In His temple shall appear.

Malachi 3:1b ESV
and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

The messenger is coming, and he will announce the Lord’s coming.  Are you ready like Simeon and Anna. Do you like with an expectancy that GOd is going to show up in your life?  Are you truly seeking Him, and determined enough to respond rightly when He does?

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Saints Teach Us How to Wait appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Anna and Jesus – https://susanmcgeown.webs.com/apps/blog/show/39188112-faith-s-attitude-at-christmas
Living Like Anna – http://www.biblewalking.com/blog-morning-minute/anna-the-prophetess

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While you Wait, Worship

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey of waiting.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering, we examined the arrival of Jesus who is Emmanuel, God with Us. This week we will look forward to waiting for the second coming of Christ our Savior and Hope. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you with hope and joy.”

PROMISE: Matthew 1:21 
 21 She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.

The birth of Jesus is the eternal gift that keeps on giving. The birth of Christ, Emmanuel, was a gift to remind us that God is with us, Jesus will save us, and He will return for us.  We can never exhaust unwrapping the blessings of Jesus’ birth, burial, and resurrection.

PSALM: Angels from the Realms of Glory by James Montgomery.

Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In his temple shall appear.
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

The Advent is about waiting. From Thanksgiving to Christmas day, we pause and prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But Advent also reminds us to prayerfully await and prepare for the second coming of Christ. Waiting for Christmas is easier because we know the date and can count down the days. Waiting for Christ’s second coming is more challenging because we do not know the day or the hour that He will return. So, what are we to do while we wait? According to Montgomery, as we hopefully await the return of Jesus–just as shepherds, wise men, and sages before us–we are invited to come offer Jesus our gift of worship.

PARABLE:  Waiting is not often associated with hope. Waiting can produce frustration. What do you think about when you think of the word WAIT? Whenever I think about waiting, I think about pregnancy. Maybe it is because my first pregnancy was premature and during my second pregnancy, I was on bed rest for seven and a half months.  These experiences taught me the lessons of waiting.

Even in the best of circumstances, pregnancy produces a natural period of waiting. It could not have been easy waiting to give birth to the Son of the Most High. I wonder what the wait was like for Mary as she awaited the birth of a son who would be the light of the world? Did she think about what He would look like? Did she imagine cuddling God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Did she read the prophecy of His birth to Him while He was in her womb? Did she worry about how she would nurture His gifts and His purpose?

I believe Mary understood the value of waiting and gives us a template of what to do while we wait for Jesus to return. After being visited by the Angel Gabriel, she paused to seek clarification of God’s promise (Luke 1:28, Luke 1:34); she responded with a prayer of acceptance of God’s will and purpose (Luke 1:38); she prepared to trust and believe the promise given to her (Luke 1:45); and then she worshiped with hope and joy while she waited (Luke 1:46-47). We learn from Mary’s experience of the miraculous birth of Jesus that waiting teaches us to pause, pray, prepare and worship.

PONDER and WANDER:

                 While I wait, I will worship

CHRISTmas is an opportunity to ponder God’s promises, remember God’s presence, and to anticipate Christ’s return.  As Saints of God, our wait has not ended with the unwrapping of the presents. The celebration continues as we wait with hope and expectancy that we still have the greatest gift coming (Titus 2:13) when Jesus will complete His saving work. When we apply the lessons of waiting, we can endure the wait of the return of our King with hope and joy. When our hearts are filled with hope and joy, we will worship.

Ponder the Questions: Do I wait for Christ to return as expectantly as I wait for Christmas Day? What am I doing while I wait?

               Instructions for waiting

Soul care training exercise: We don’t know when Jesus will return. For now, we can focus on preparing during the new year.

Take a few minutes to breath in and out. As you invite the Holy Spirit to illuminate your spiritual senses:

Pause and seek God’s promise of hope to fill you with joy and peace (Romans 15:13) as you wait expectantly for Him to return (Lamentations 3:24).

Pray and seek God’s Purpose (Proverbs 3:6) for your life in 2020.

Next, Prepare (Jeremiah 29:11) and seek God’s plan of how you will serve Him and others in 2020 as you wait for Jesus to return.

Finally, offer Christ the gift of your Worship.

Merry CHRISTmas, follower friends! May the hope of our God fill you with joy and peace throughout the year!

PRAYER: Thank you Jesus for being the greatest present ever given to the world!  I am filled with hope and joy because you chose to be my Savior. Next week, I may forget the gifts under the tree, but I will remember you. I am so glad that every day you fulfill your promises within my life. Help me to be mindful, this year, of your eternal blessings. In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel, I pray. Amen.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for His Presence!  Let the work of your wandering fill you with hope and anticipation that Jesus will return for us!

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post While you wait, Worship appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image attributions:
Jesus the eternal gift: https://pixabay.com/photos/cross-symbol-gift-thrown-away-2168317/ with text
My gift to Jesus is Worship: Belovedwomen.org with text added 
Instructions for waiting: https://pixabay.com/photos/background-banner-celebration-4654716/with text

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What Can the Saints Teach Us?

Simeon’s Moment – by Ron DiCianni

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Angels, from the Realms of Glory
By: James Montgomery, 1771-1854 (1816)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read.  Please make certain to enjoy the video log below.

We continue our journey to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Savior.  This week we consider the saints who are bending their lives to the will of God at the altar of God.  Their role in the story shows us that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Let’s tune our hearts.

Simeon

Right after the shepherds in Luke 2 we are introduced to two other characters who for the purposes of our carol are the “saints”.  They are truly saints since they are effectively described as such.  They are people whose faith was in God, who had been waiting and watching for His appearing for a long time.

We are going to consider Simeon today and Anna Thursday.

You can read the entire passage about Simeon in Luke 2:25-35, or suffice it to say he was righteous and devout.

Simeon regularly bent his knee at the altar of God, so he had positioned himself to hear from God.  This posture of humility is essential if we truly want to hear.  It also allowed his life to be a welcome place to the Holy Spirit.

So welcome was the Spirit in Simeon’s life that he had received a beautiful promise from God.  He was told he would not see death before He would see the Lord’s Christ.  What an incredible promise!  We do not know how long He had held onto this promise.  It could have been years, even decades.  What we do know is that he was hopeful and watchful.

How do we know that?  He had come in the Spirit to the Temple.  He did not have to pray when He saw the child.  He knew it was the Lord’s salvation. When the Lord suddenly appeared in the Temple he was ready.

He had come again to worship with an expectant heart, and that expectancy was rewarded with an encounter with the Savior.

What an incredible story of a faithful life!  He was looking to God and that same God made Him an incredible promise.  Is there some promise you have been holding onto for some time?  Don’t let go.  Are you struggling to maintain a watchful, hopeful posture after a long wait?  Set your hope on God.  Are you alert and ready to identify the Lord when He does appear?  Stay alert.  Otherwise you could miss it.  Take a few moments and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the answers to these questions, and then press in to one of them as we consider the lessons we might learn from Simeon.

Learning from Simeon

Learning From Simeon

It is beneficial to look at Simeon’s like and marvel at the goodness of God to reveal Himself to this seasoned saint.  It is far more profitable to consider how we may emulate his approach and replicate it in our lives.  Which will you choose, beneficial or profitable?  Both are good choices, but one is far better.

Let’s take the better course and examine our own lives around these three principles

  1. Don’t Let Go
  2. Set Your Hope on God
  3. Stay Alert

Don’t Let Go – It can be heard to hold on when you believe God has said something to you and a long time has passed.  Many of us know just how difficult that can be.  What Simeon teaches us is that it is so worth it to hold on.  God is faithful, and He will do it.

What is that promise you are holding onto today?  Speak it out loud.  Is your grip loosening?  Maybe you have already let go.  But you can often just get another grip.  Ask God to strengthen your grasp own that promise and trust Him until you see it come to pass.

Set Your Hope on God – This can be tricky.  The Lord told Simeon he would see God’s salvation, but what would that look like. Simeon could easily have crafted his own idea of what form that salvation would take.  If he was mistaken he might have missed the moment.  Instead he put his hope in God and waited with open eyes and heart to see it.

What have you set your hope on?  Is it God, or something of your own making that resembles Him?  This can be so tricky as we pursue God’s best for us because we can shape it to our own likely, or weak faith when God may having something much better in mind.  Determine to clearly set your hope on Him, and you will never be disappointed.

Stay Alert – We do not know the particulars of the arrival of Mary and Joseph at the Temple for the dedication of Jesus, but there were likely many people in and out for various reasons.  Simeon could have easily missed this little family, but he did not.  Certainly the Holy Spirit prompted him, but he had to stay alert.

What are you waiting to see?  Have you grown weary in your waiting?  It is difficult to maintain the kind of focus required to stay focused on one thing when there are many things moving around you.  And Simeon was old.  Still, he was ready when the what he was longing for suddenly appeared.  Can the same be said of you?  Are you alert today and watching for the thing you are hoping for?

Lok back over those three lessons and determine to address one of them today.  That kind of reflection and discipline may be the very thing that positioned Simeon to experience the promise of God.  Position yourself in a similar position today.

Holy Spirit, You came upon Simeon, but I believe your dwell in me.  Show me what may be keeping me from listening to You the way he did.   Then give me the courage to act on what you show me so I can be one the saints that sees You when You move in my life.  In Jesus name.  Amen!

Watchful Tuning!

Keep coming back and we will work help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

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Everyone enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Video 12.4 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

If you have not seen yourself in the story yet, hopefully you do here.  I think this has a dual meaning, for the saints in that day, and for all who came after them.  We humble ourselves at the place where we meet God. We depend on His work to make us holy. Then and now.

Saints are simply those who are looking to God for the fulfillment of their hope.  The fear is evoked by a right understanding of the majesty of God. Are you watching for the coming of our Lord?  He came once. He will come again. Are you ready?

Though they were waiting and we wait now, they were surprised as we will be when He makes His final appearance.  He will come down again, not as a baby, but as the Lord of all. Even before then, He wants to come down upon us to make His glory known.  Welcome Him.

Mary and Joseph brought newborn Jesus to the Temple as instructed by the law, and Simeon and Anna welcomed Him.  Jesus comes to us as well and desires a similar welcome. Will He receive it when He comes to you?

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post What Can the Saints Teach Us? appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Simeon’s Moment – by Ron DiCianni – http://www.burrowdesigns.com/advent-simeon/
Learning from Simeon – https://pixabay.com/photos/climb-knot-hand-partner-check-517053/

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Be Sincere, Be a Seeker

Seeking

Sages, leave your contemplations,
 Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
 Ye have seen His natal star.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Angels, from the Realms of Glory
By: James Montgomery, 1771-1854 (1816)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read.  Please make certain to enjoy the video log below.

We continue our journey to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Savior.  Having already looked at what the wise men left behind, we press in a little closer to examine what they are pursuing.  As we do, ask yourself what you are going after.  Let’s think about this.

Seeking Him

The wise men had come from the east, and we have no indication that they were previously God-fearers, non-Jewish believers.  They had left some things behind in order to pursue the One whose birth the star proclaimed.  They were not just leaving some things behind they were also going after something.  What exactly?  Or more precisely, Who?

They told Herod they were looking for the King of the Jews.  Why would prominent Gentiles be seeking out a king who sits on a throne in lowly Israel?  Well, as they said, they had seen His star and had come to worship Him.  Yes, they had left some things behind but they were simultaneously pressing toward something greater.

They had come from other lands and nations to pursue One who would not only be King of the Jews, but so much more.  Our hymn writer here describes Him as “the great Desire of nations”.  Jesus describes Himself this way.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12ESV

He is not only the light of the Israel, He is the light of the world.  We all were walking in the darkness of death until we discovered the light of life.  The wise men are no different.

He is what are hearts long for.  Light.  Hope.  Peace.  Love.  He is our desire, and the great Desire of the nations.

You may choose to argue that point, but you will not once you surrender and determine to seek Him.  For once you seek Him, you will find Him, if you search with all your heart. [Jeremiah 29:13] And when you find Him you will know that He is what every person of every tribe and tongue truly desire.

So will you?

Will you determine to seek Him?  On Tuesday we determined to to leave some things behind so we could pursue the better things God has for us.  There is nothing better than Him, and a greater awareness of His presence in our lives.  But it does not just come to us, we must determine to pursue it.  How will you do that today?  Prayer, Bible reading, worship, etc.?  What discipline will you use to seek the great Desire of nations today?

In Response

Respond

But when we do seek, we must always acknowledge that even then we are simply responding to what He has already shown us of Himself.  And that revelation has caused us too long for still more. Their search began with the star.

They saw the star when it rose.  They knew it was significant.  They responded in worship.

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:9b-10 ESV

The wise men left their contemplations.  They pursued a star which appeared in the heavens.  They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

What are you pursuing?  Be honest.  We are all going after something.  Are you confident that your pursuit will end with you rejoicing exceedingly with great joy?  We must be careful that the things we are chasing honor God and will ultimately produce good for us.

What has God shown to you?  Has He revealed something to you to which you have yet to respond?  It may require you to leave something behind.  It will certainly require you to begin a journey of faith.  But it will also absolutely be worth the sacrifice.  What response is God inviting you to make today?

Jesus, thank You for being the Light of the World, and the light of my life.  Shine into my darkness so I can clearly see the path you are marking out before me.  Give me the courage to leave behind what is not needful so that I may press into what is. In Jesus name.   Amen.

Responsive Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness?  Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here.  Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library.  We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below!  It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.

Podcast 12.3 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

Sages, leave your contemplations,

Matthew 2:1-2 ESV 

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, 

Wise men, or magi, came from the east.  These learned men left their pursuit of knowledge to search for something even better.  What might God be asking you to leave behind so you may know Him better this Christmas, or in the New Year?  Will you follow His leading?

   Brighter visions beam afar;

Matthew 2:2 ESV

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.”

Maybe God has already given you a vision of a better future in your relationship with Him but you need to leave something behind to pursue it.  Do you have a sense of your “brighter visions”? If not, ask God to open your eyes to them as He did for the wise men.

Seek the great Desire of nations;

John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

So the magi used the star to lead them to the One who would later utter these words.  They walked through darkness, but found the light of life, the light of the world. They were not Jewish so they demonstrate that the wisest among us from every nation desire Him.  Will you?  

  Ye have seen His natal star.

Matthew 2:9b-10 ESV

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 

But just seeing the star is not enough.  We must respond. The wise men journeyed long, and when they arrived at their destination rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. As you pursue Christ, expect the same kind of feeling.  But make certain you are pursuing Him. Are you?

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

Sages, leave your contemplations,
 Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
 Ye have seen His natal star.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Seeking – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/christmas-kings-christmas-time-934177/
Respond – https://pixabay.com/photos/nativity-star-manger-christmas-3674785/

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Be Wise, Be a Worshipper

Sages

Sages, leave your contemplations,
 Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
 Ye have seen His natal star.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Angels, from the Realms of Glory
By: James Montgomery, 1771-1854 (1816)

Listen to this simple piano version as you read, or watch the video complete with lyrics then read.  Please make certain to enjoy the video log below.

We continue our journey to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Savior.  This week we consider the ones who rather than hearing angels sing, saw the star which announced the birth of the King of kings.  Their role in the story shows us that God welcomes all who pursue Him with humility.  Let’s tune our hearts.

Sages, Wise Men, Magi, They Were

Of all the things that could be said to introduce these strangers from the east, they are introduced as wise men.  The hymn calls them sages, and the other common term is Magi.  This term indicates that they would have been famed for their wisdom, even venerated for the the possession of wisdom, judgment and experience.  If men of this caliber make the decision to make a long and perilous journey, not to mention with expensive gifts.  We should take note.

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, Matthew 2:1-2 ESV 

The hymn, ever an invitation to come and worship, encourages the wise men of the story, and all who will follow their lead, to leave their contemplations.  This is no small task, for someone esteemed for wisdom achieves such notoreity through careful examination and diligent pursuit.  To encourage people to leave behind the very thing by which they have attained their status could be seen as foolish.

But we must consider these wise men, and learn from their example.

They add weight to the plea offered to all who will come after them.  We will examine the why of their indubitably thoughtful response below, but here just acknowledge the fact that they came.  And in so doing had to leave something behind.  For them it was contemplations, the kind at which they obviously excelled and had set them apart.  It may be something less profound for you, but no less difficult.

What might you have to leave to be marked by a similar wisdom?  What thing that marks your life, maybe even something you find great value in and enjoy being associated with, must you leave in order to worship the Christ of Christmas?  Can you identify it today?  If not, are you willing to consider the possibility that such a thing may exist?  Something that is good, but may be holding you back from the best.  Take a few moments and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if such a thing is present in your life.

Worshippers, They Became

Worship Him

So why would such men, venerated for their wisdom, leave those pursuits behind to become worshippers? What could compel them to a different endeavor?  It would have to be something they deemed worthwhile, and because of there collective wisdom it should be assumed it was.  But it was the culmination of their journey that demonstrated their willingness to respond to God’s invitation.

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 ESV

They were still wise men, but they became worshippers.

They saw the star when it rose at His birth.  They recognized Him as a king.  They had even determined that they would worship Him.  Why?  Because from a distance they had seen a brighter more compelling vision than any they had previously discovered.

It was one thing to leave behind their lofty contemplations.  It was another thing altogether to embrace humble worship.

The invitation rings to all those who have ears to hear and eyes to see that brighter vision.  That life of surrender to the King that transforms every rebellious heart into a worshipping one.  We know nothing of their worship prior to or after this encounter, except for their willingness to heed to warning of an angelic being, but this snapshot captures their response to the newborn Christ.

So what shall you learn from their example and the transformation it produced?  Do you have a clear mental picture or vision of something brighter than your current experience?  Is God inviting you into something grander, bigger, better?  Will you humble yourself and pursue it?  If you are not sure, why not take a few moments to ask Him what that might be, and what your response should be?  You will never regret choosing to worship.

Almighty God, thank You for revealing Your invitation to worship to those wise men.   Thank You for prompting them to follow, and giving them the courage to do so.  Thank You for their example.  Help me to be willing to emulate it in my life today. In Jesus name.  Amen!

Wise Tuning!

Keep coming back and we will work help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

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Everyone enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Video 12.3 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Sages, leave your contemplations,
 Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
 Ye have seen His natal star.
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

From the lowly to the learned, the call continues.  The wise men were invited to leave the contemplations that had led them to the star, and we likewise are welcomed to move past what we know in search of more. Is there anything, even good things, you may need to leave behind?

They had seen the star, but the call that came to them and comes to us is that there is more.  How often we become content with less than all God wants to show us. Ask God to show you more of Himself in this season that your worship may be more complete?

The magi also represent all the non-Jewish or Gentile worshippers, which is good news for most of the world.  Jesus is the fulfillment of desire of all nations, not just Israel, and we are encouraged to seek Him. Commit to seek Him this Christmas season.

Though a new star appearing was remarkable, the fact that it announced a baby’s birth set these scholars on an incredible journey.  Some might say it ended when they bowed their knees to the child years later, but I believe it continued all their days. May the same be true of us.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, be Resonant.

The post God With Us appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Sages – https://pixabay.com/photos/magi-christmas-night-shooting-star-3795282/
Wise Men – https://pixabay.com/vectors/wisemen-wise-men-jesus-birth-story-2948680/

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