The Most Important JourneySample

Day 13

by Laura Hawk

Seacoast Email Communications Manager

Look Up

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 saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ~ Matthew 2:1-2 (ESV)

Think of a time when you were faced with a tough decision. Maybe you were presented with a couple of opportunities and making the right choice felt like a heavy task. I am sure each of us has experienced something like this. Instead of trying to tackle the decision alone, how can we direct ourselves to turn to God as our first response? Different stories in Scripture encourage us to come to God first to receive guidance and wisdom for the decisions we need to make.

When I think about the wise men of the Christmas story, I am always in awe of the confidence and faith that they had in preparing for their journey to meet Jesus. They immediately sought to find and worship him, following the star, using it as their guide.

The wise men sought Jesus with confidence. The miles they traveled and the long days and nights they endured were insignificant compared to the importance of where they were going and who they were going to meet. And like it was for the wise men, the star has always been a reminder for me to look up, to look to him for guidance and to keep my focus on him. With my eyes on him, I can confidently step forward with assurance in following his will for my life, one decision and one step at a time.

Our journey to find him daily can be as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood or taking time to recognize his fingerprints in all that we see. Whether it’s clarity that we need, direction, an answer to a prayer, or a time of joyful worship, what a sweet reminder this is for all believers. When we look to God first, we can do so with hope and confidence in the one who is our focus. Look up.

Reflect: How might you be overlooking and not taking advantage of all God has for you by not asking for guidance from the ultimate source of joy and hope?