January 7, 2026

The days after coming to Bethlehem…

…journeying as magi back into the world.

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“So Joseph got up, took the child and His mother during the night and left for Egypt. They stayed there until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.‘” (Matthew 2.14-15)

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY: “And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2.12) TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD: Let’s say, for story’s sake because we do not know, that when the magi arrived in Bethlehem, it was Friday afternoon. Some of you may wonder why that would be important, if it were so. As the sun begins to sink in the west bringing Friday to a close, the Sabbath day would begin. God does not work by coincidence nor by accident. God is intentional and purposeful. Remember, I have offered you that biblical understanding of the word “good.” The “good” of God is purposeful, intentional and fulfilling. The “good” of God accomplishes what God had imaged for that moment, the meaning and truth of “all things working together for good.” In reading the creation story at the beginning of Genesis, we find that God began His work in the evening and completed it before the evening of the next day. At the completion of it, God pronounced His blessing of approval, “It is good!” The last act of creation was proclaiming the seventh day as “sabbath.” On that day, all of the work done by God’s people was to cease (emergency situations excluded) and the true work of God would be pursued. That work was a service unto God. We call that service “worship.” When we read the story of the magi who came to Bethlehem, we know they presented exquisite, expensive and elaborate gifts. We also know, more importantly, that they worshipped. They laid aside the things of the world and their worldly duties as magi, representatives of foreign nations, and worshipped God for the confirmed “good” which had come into the world. Their entire journey was seeking the fulfillment of the work which God had begun. They were now seeing it, at least in part as we know it as Christ followers, in completion. They had found “the One who was born to be King of the Jews.” If they were worshipping in Bethlehem, it would be easy to see that they arrived on Friday before dusk and shared in the practiced Sabbath of those of Jewish faith. They would have lingered there throughout the day and then rise up on the first day of the week and pick up the work that was theirs. It was during that night following the Sabbath day the magi were warned in a dream to return home by other routes. They were to avoid Herod at all cost. We know they were leaving the scene of what would be a heinous crime. The crime was intended to eliminate “the One who was born King of the Jews.” It would be on that same night, the beginning of the first day of the week, that Joseph received a dream directing him to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt. Truly, as in the days of Joseph the son of Jacob, “that which was intended for evil was purposed for good.” Oh that all those in Bethlehem would have captured the dream to leave town. I would same the same for us, mighty ones of God. I pray that all of God’s people would capture the dream of freedom and liberation. Freedom from sin and the liberation from the bondage of eternal death. Such freedom and liberation are the gifts which the Christ, the Babe of Bethlehem, gives to us. It comes in God’s mercy and grace. It comes in the presence of the Holy Spirit as Immanuel draws near to us. It comes as a warning to not be of the world while we still dwell in the world. It comes as the challenge to live on earth as we will in Heaven. What is that life? It is a life of eternal worship and service and praise. It is a life of new beginnings and eternal thanksgivings. It is the opportunity given to by Christ Himself who faced the challenge of being in the world but not of it. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, “If it is possible, let this cup of death no matter how sacred pass from Me. Yet, not My will, Father, but Yours be done.” And as in a dream, Jesus knew that He was to return home by another route. He could have easily chosen the easy way and claimed divine right excusing Himself from the “good” He was intended for. He was extended the temptation to do so again on the cross as the impenitent thief mocked, “If you are the Son of God, let yourself down from the cross and show everyone who You really are.” Jesus knew, however, the path that leads through the Valley of the Shadow of Death would mean keeping His eyes focused on the will of God who would deliver Him. It meant that the “other way” was the cross. Mighty ones of God, we are being warned now as in a dream to return home to God by another way apart from what we are doing. Are we doing God’s will? Is it God’s will or our own that is being done? Submit yourself to prayer and listen for God’s leading and direction. Be magi among your own people and go back to tell them “the good news of great joy which is for everyone that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Let us worship God together for all that He has done and give thanks forever and ever.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.