Following the Star

Following the Star by Max Lucado

Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything?

The Wise Men did. They can be an example to us. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can give him today: their hope, their time, and their worship.The wandering wise men gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky, this small band of men saw the light. The sight of the star sparked a desire in their hearts that send them packing. They went, seeking Jesus.

When night comes to your world, what do you see? The darkness or the stars? Hopelessness or hopefulness? Sometimes, just as he did so long ago, God uses the darkness to reveal his stars—“The light shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). Give God your hope for Christmas.

While you’re giving, give God your time. The wise men did. Before they gave God their presents, they gave their presence. It’s likely that these men traveled as long as two years before locating the prince of heaven. Before that one incredible moment when they knelt before Jesus, the wise men spent many moments, months, perhaps years searching, in anticipation of that meeting.

Just as the wise men devoted themselves to seeking the Savior, so can you: “You will seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart” (Duet. 4:29).And when they did find him, the wise men gave Jesus another gift: their worship. Men of wealth, influence, and intellect: what did they do when they saw Jesus? “…they fell down and worshiped him” (Matt. 2:11)

Worship. It’s a gift that extends to the giver as well. Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship.

The wise men sought the child of God, just as God seeks his children. “The Father is actively seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

The gifts of hope, time, and worship. Three gifts the wise still give.

From One Incredible Moment:Celebrating the Majesty of the Manger Copyright (J Countryman, 2006) Max Lucado

The Desert

I once lived in a desert. It was dry. It was dark. Years ago, I had found the Cup of water that was given freely to me. I was told that it would satisfy all my needs. I took it. I've discovered that even though I found that cup, declared that I had it, and proclaimed its power in my life - I had never actually took a deep long drink of that water. Every now and then I may have taken a sip or two from it. Just enough to keep me surviving. Over time, the desert wore on. Nothing I found satisfied my lingering thirst. Soon I couldn't stand up to the intense heat, the dry winds that threatened to blow me off my feet, or the blazing sun that never seemed to let up. As I wandered through this desert, I could not find shelter anywhere. My thirst became worse and worse. Yet, in all of this, I forgot the Cup I held in my hand. Instead, I was spending my time looking everywhere else for a water to quench my longing and thirst. I tried many types. None lasted very long or would create an even stronger thirst. Over time, and being completely unaware, this search started to consume me. I began searching high and low for satisfaction. So much that the search started spiraling out of control. Little by little, the water that I was sampling and taking from other cups began to destroy me. Still, I didn't realize what I was doing. Then one day, when I was too weak to even lift my head up from its place, I realized the path I had sent myself down and realized I had given myself over to a search that only satisfied the minuet. In my agony, I cried out. I beat myself for carelessly spilling and casting aside that Cup of water I was given so long ago. It was precious water and I had forgotten about it. I had forgotten that it alone was the water that would satisfy me forever. I cried and cried. I longed to be able to go back to the first moment and live all over again. To start from the moment I was given the Cup. As my tears stopped and my energy ceased, thinking that I was too spent to keep on living, I vowed to give up. I was a failure and it was not worth it to keep living. The words "Forgive me!", escaped my mouth as I started to do what needed to be done. "I already have" came the reply. My mind, in its weakened state, tried to comprehend the meaning of this. Suddenly, there before me appeared that same Saviour who offered me the first Cup. In all these years, nothing about Him had changed. He looked the same, sounded the same, and smelled the same. Questions flooded my mind...how could this be? I have done so much wrong. You couldn't. You wouldn't. I am not worth it. Three soft words spoke through the din in my head. "I forgive you." Startled I looked towards the man. Gingerly, He picked me off the floor and cradled me in His arms. Looking down at me, with the sweetest, softest expression of love, He spoke these words: "It is finished, My Love, I paid for your pardon. You are free. You have nothing to worry about. I want you to share My home. I want you to always drink my water. I want to give you life to the fullest. But it's your choice in the end..." He held the Cup of water, full to the point of overflowing, to me. I wanted to reach out, but was too weak. I knew that I could not do it on my own. "Please, help me" I managed to say, "I can't do it on my own...I am too weak..." With a smile that revealed all, He picked me up and helped me drink. I drank like I never have before. The more I drank, the more I realized that this, this man and His water, was the only thing to ever be enough to satisfy and fill. This was everything I had ever wanted...and with that I fell asleep, in my Saviour's arms, knowing I could never imagine leaving or drinking from another cup. Ever.

A New Beginning

After deciding to stop blogging with my old blog, I felt that I still wanted a place to share some of the stuff that rumbles through my head. So, while I am going to take a different approach to the stuff that I write, I will still have a blog. Yay. The following is taken from my last blog, but it has significant impact for the theme of this new blog and I thought I should include it....


Clay is moldable. Soft. Flexible. In complete dependence of the Potter's hands for shape and form. Softly, yet firmly, the Potter uses his hands to form the clay into what he wants. The Potter needs complete control over the clay in order to make it into something magnificent. Clay, though, can have a mind of its own. It warbles under the Potter's hands. It gives into pressure, flops over, and often does it own thing. Seemingly ruining the Potter's masterpiece in these moments. Neverless, the Potter will break the clay back down and start over again. The same piece of clay, yet with the opportune to once again become something great. The Potter will never give up on that piece of clay. Over and over again he will keep molding it. Lovingly working it into the best piece. The clay will eventually learn to be soft and pliable under the Potter's hands; to not resist the Potters pushing and shaping, but to come to realize that ultimately those very acts will make it into the great piece of work the Potter originally dreamt of. Simply amazing isn't it? One lump of clay. One Potter who's patience never wains. The result? A beautiful piece of work.

You are the Clay - God is the Potter


This is the comment from a well respected friend and I didn't want his response lost so I am also going to add it. It develops my understanding of this metaphor even more...


There is more to the metaphor of the potter and the clay, it is richer and deeper, even beyond what you have expressed. The potter imagery is found first in Jeremiah 18 (v.6) and is then expounded on in Romans 9 and brought to bear on us as the spiritual Israel as well as it was brought to physical Israel by Jeremiah. Clearly stated in the whole of Romans 9 (the thoughts of which are summed in the metaphor of the potter), is the fact that the potter is in ultimate and complete control. Though on our human level of understanding there is this balance of God's prodding and our response (be it in humble submission or prideful obstinance, as you have so well written about)the metaphor of the potter is meant to ultimately present the fact that the Potter is in complete control over the clay. The potter ultimately does not mold the clay in a balance of what the clay will allow, but rather every detail is exactly as this expert potter has designed. Specifically this metaphor is used of salvation, and though it is a popular metaphor to use today, its original application is a topic that we don't like to talk about. If you read it in its context this metaphor clearly states that it is God who created some humans destined for salvation, and others destined for wrath (hell). "does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? what if God, choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the objects of His wrath--prepared for destruction? what if He did this top make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory." (Rom 9:21-23)