Christmas Star
Author: Pastor Mitch Williams
December 24, 2020
Earlier
this week while riding my mountain bike up a trail in Briones Regional
Park an hour after dusk, I noticed there were many others on the trail
as well. They were intently looking into the night sky. That night,
December 21, the “great conjunction” occurred when the planets Jupiter
and Saturn lined up their orbits, some calling it the Christmas Star
(since it’s so close to Christmas). Apparently it takes Jupiter 12
years, and Saturn 29.5 years, to orbit the sun. The last time these two
planets were perfectly aligned for the whole world to see was March 5,
1226.
I asked the other star gazers where to
identify those planets. They pointed me in the direction. While
scrutinizing the night sky I saw what appeared to be twin very bright
stars very close to one another. Wow! What a sight!
Some
have suggested that a similar star conjunction could have been
discovered by the Wise Men, eventually leading them to the new born
Messiah in Jerusalem.
But the scriptures tell
us the Wise Men were led from the East to Jerusalem by no ordinary star
construct. What appeared to be a star was in fact a group of angels who
eventually led the Wise Men to Bethlehem.
And
the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went
ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they
saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw
the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 2:9-11
Each night as we look up
into sky and see countless stars, may we grasp again an unimaginable
concept. The Creator of all the stars and galaxies actually came to this
little planet as a helpless infant and inhabited our world. What more
could God do to show us His love? It was that God actually died for His
creation!
As you celebrate Christmas in a year
like none other, may you remember that Jesus loves you more than all of
the stars. His love for you burns brighter than any star. And His plans
for you are eternal. Jesus was born so you and I could live forever!
Merry Christmas! Let’s celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior!
Blessings!
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