NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Day 338 – Lies and Secrets

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, "Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I'll join you at once in your worship." Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh. Matthew 2:7-11 The Message

Herod continues to choose the crowded roads of living life trying to get his own way all the time. He likes this road. For awhile, the interstate seems like a quick, efficient way to travel. With some practiced skill sets and a lot of determination and ruthless pursuit – people like Herod appear to succeed in their passion of self. They look like they’re winners.

But if we’ve learned anything this year, I hope it is this: God is the God who is and will. His purposes prevail. Mere mortals cannot and will not deter God from having his way. Appearances can be deceiving.

Manipulating, lying, cheating, stealing and keeping secrets are all travel companions of those intent upon getting their own way.

A sense of divine and communal purpose, the ability to worship, and the compulsion to give good gifts to others are all found as we choose to live life God’s way.
In the Old Testament, someone once cried out, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Every day you choose who you’re going to serve – sometimes this is an unconscious choice. If we compare and contrast the life of Herod with the life of those wandering scholars, maybe we can discover some clues about which road we’re traveling ourselves.

Recommended reading: Daniel 12 and Psalm 117 in the morning; 1 John 4 and Psalm 118 in the evening

Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community