Unto You, Part 16: Unto Us Came the One Who is Worthy
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
On a
natural level, the worship of Jesus as a baby didn’t make sense. His life was
still untested and unproven. He had not yet said anything, nor had He done
anything that would substantiate Him as the long-awaited Messiah. His
birthplace gave no indication of His royalty. The economic status of his
parents spoke nothing of His influence or power, and His bed of hay spoke
nothing of His kingly throne or crown.
The
true worship of Jesus was not based on what was seen with natural eyes, but
instead, on what was seen with spiritual eyes. With the eyes of faith, the true
worshiper saw who Jesus was, why He had come, and from where He had come.
They
worshiped because the tiny babe in the manger was the Son of God. He was the
One who was there at the beginning, speaking into existence the heavens, the
earth, and all that live upon it. He was the One who knew eternal
fellowship with His Father in heaven, and He was the One who was adored by the
entire heavenly host.
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord
our Maker (Psalm 95:6 NIV).
Worship
is so much more than singing choruses, playing musical instruments, or lifting
our hands in praise. Worship is not found in the volume of our voices, but in
the meekness of our spirits; not in the beat of our music, but in the bending
of our knees; not in our outward gestures, but in our yielded hearts.
Worship
is not created in us by talking, reading, hearing, or singing about Jesus.
Worship is created in us as Jesus is made real to us. To know Him, to really
know Him, throws the doors of worship wide open. Worship is about Jesus—His
beauty, His glory, His majesty, and His loveliness. When our hearts see Jesus,
we worship—we can’t help ourselves.
When God brings His firstborn into the world, He says,
‘Let all God's angels worship Him.’ (Hebrews 1:6 NIV).
Angels
are magnificent heavenly beings that fulfill God’s will, and fill us with
amazement. We are overcome with their greatness, their glory, and their
service. When we read of their works throughout Scripture we stagger at their
strength and power, we marvel at their words and authority, and we tremble at
their greatness and awesomeness.
As
magnificent as angels are, their glory pales in the light of Jesus Christ.
Their greatness is but a shadow compared to the One whose splendor outshines
the sun. Their service is but a gesture when we look upon Him who came to serve
and give His life as a ransom for many. The angel’s works are but tiny tokens
of God’s goodness compared to the redemptive work of Christ upon the cross.
Their strength and power wane as we look upon Him who is seated at the right
hand of the Father. Their words and authority take a minor role compared to Him
who is the Word become flesh—Emmanuel, God with us.
The
greatest revelation that came to the wise men was the discovery that the
answers they sought were not to be found in pagan practices, but in a
person. They left behind the darkness of the Medes and Persians as they
followed the light of His star. They left behind the rituals and reasoning of
man as they sought the true Wisdom of God. They left behind the practices of
magic and sorcery as they looked for the One true Master. They left behind the
vanity and idolatry of corrupt rulers as they journeyed to worship the new born
King.
To
seek Jesus is to seek reality. He not only has directions for us
to follow, but He is the pathway upon which we travel. He not
only has things to say to us, but He is the
Truth we seek to know. He not only has the answers for our
existence, but He is the Eternal Life that we so desperately
seek.
A
glorious truth of Scripture is the certainty that if we seek after the Lord we
will not be disappointed. Seekers are finders. The beauty of God’s promise
is what we find and Who we find as the result
of our seeking. We not only find peace, but we also find the Prince of Peace.
We not only find righteousness, but we also find the Righteous One. We not only
find counsel, but we also find the Counselor. We not only find wonders, but we
also find the Wonderful One. We not only find spiritual food, but we also find
the Bread of Life. We not only find provision, but we also find the Shepherd of
our souls. We not only find salvation, but we also find the Saviour. We not
only find the Kingdom, but we also find the King.
In
this world there are things we desire and things we need. Houses, clothing,
food, and transportation all fall under the category of “things.” Things are
not evil or sinful, but they are temporary. They have no eternal value. The
gifts we unwrap at Christmas will one day find their way to a trash bag or a
yard sale table. The wise men from the East knew the difference between what
was temporal and what was eternal. They left their homes and families to seek
the Pearl of Greatest Price. They wanted to see and know for themselves the
Eternal Word that became flesh and dwelt among us.
The
value of finding Jesus Christ is beyond measure. His worth is more than a field
filled with diamonds—He is a limitless treasure chest of priceless gems and
precious stones. He is more than a mineshaft filled with gold nuggets—He is an
endless vein of pure gold. His splendor is more glorious than a thousand
sunsets, and His majesty is nobler than all the kings who have ever
reigned. His grace is greater than our arms can embrace, His beauty is
more than our eyes can behold, and His love is deeper than our hearts can
explore. How truly great is the reward of the one who seeks Him.
‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ (John
3:16 NIV).
#christmasseries
#christmasdevotions #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin #untoyou
©2024 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used
with permission, all rights reserved.
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