The Three Wise Men - they risked their lives to find the Christ child and to bring Him gifts and to honor Him, the little baby, God made flesh. They knew that they would be killed if they went home to their country, so when they had made their visit to the Babe, they did not go home the same way - they did not give the ruling powers the chance to kill them.
The wise men, in following Christ gave up what was familiar to them. They had to step out of their comfort zone, even though they knew, going in, that it was going to cost them.
Many Christians find, when they follow Christ that their journey to be with Him has a cost. God does not charge an entrance fee - He does not make us pay to accept us - we are free to make the decision to follow Christ.
Ah - but there are times when friends and family extract a price for our following Christ. To be a follower of Christ is not without its dangers - the dangers of being shunned, the danger of being misunderstood, the dangers of losing one's family and friends.
The rewards of following Christ as best as one can has eternal consequences. Not to follow God's word, is to risk being without God in eternity. Following God's plan for my life - the promise of eternal salvation ...
Let me see - shall I risk eternal death - without God? Or, shall I continue to cling to Christ - Christ who promises me eternal salvation and has the power to grant me His Love, unconditionally, without price?
I chose the later - to follow Christ - to meet Him in the manger, no matter what the contention is of those who ridicule me, shun me and ban me from their midst for my choice of loving Christ.
The three wise men knew - and I continue to learn - to follow Christ is not easy, but the rewards of His Love and His promise of eternal salvation are priceless.
1 comment:
Sometimes, we have to remind ourselves why we do what we do. I have to think of the life I lived before I came Home. The four abortions and the dead husband and baby. The nights sitting in a closet smoking cocaine and telling everyone I was fine. Weighing 300 pounds and smelling like vodka. The quality of my problems today are really different. I am grateful...for You!
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