Let the Spirit Move You

“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2:12 ESV)

God gives us subtle warnings, the Spirit moves us, and if we are sensitive to these movements, we can follow them. At the time of the birth of Jesus, God was anything but subtle, sending angels in form and in dreams.

The wise men had traveled far, and most likely, they stayed at least one night in Bethlehem. I can imagine the stories of their travels they told to Mary and Joseph. Mary and Joseph, no doubt, shared some of their journey cautiously, hiding what might endanger the son of God. For one of them, an angel warned not to go back to Herod. Maybe it was Joseph who had the dream? Scripture does not tell us, but nonetheless, they did not go back to Herod as warned.

Normally, we would say that the wise men are shrouded in mystery, but when we take this small portion of Matthew and slow it down to a crawl, we can determine much about the ancient scholars. From observing the star to secret meetings with Herod to being dispatched by Herod to Bethlehem, there is much to learn about these men. One thing that should be obvious to us all is that the Lord guided these men from the East. God chose them, protected them, and educated them. Wow, that is exactly what He does for us! Much like us, God’s providence worked in the ordinary life of these men with an inner compulsion each of us feels when we are called by God.

Sinclair wrote that there was something unique about the wise men’s experience. But we can also trace a pattern. An awakening takes place, and then a drawing, and then a discovery, and then a worshiping. For some, it is the sound of a church bell, a church they have never attended. Every day, they hear that bell toll, and often, the realization of the calling of the bell results in conscious resistance to the bell. Yet still, every day, the bell tolls, and the resistance softens until one day, they are sitting in the church as the bell tolls marking the beginning of the service. For me, I had found the Lord, but every day, out of nowhere, a Christian college advertisement appeared on my computer as I worked. I ignored it, but it kept coming. One day, I went to the college website. Finally, in my mid-50s, I was in an online class when the bell tolled. That was what Sinclair calls the “wise men pattern.” From there, my knowledge of God and my faith have grown exponentially.

Something stirs us spiritually; often, we ignore it, but the Spirit presses on until we acknowledge it. Then, the calling can no longer be ignored. Have you experienced this as a believer, or the figurative church bell for the unbeliever? This all leads to our reading the Bible and experiencing Christ. Without scripture or testimony, we will never find the narrow gate that leads to the Lord. I loved how Sinclair put it, “Different people, different cultures, different centuries, different personal narratives – and yet the same pattern of being brought to faith.”

It is no wonder we all love the story of the three wise men. God had His hand on them just as He has His hand on us. Because of this, we can also look to the hope in this pattern that lies ahead for the unbelievers who are strangers or are those we know and love.

There is one more lesson here, and it comes with the final chapter of the story of the magi.  

Peace and Grace!