December 12, 2024 Devo

December 12th, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
The Birth of Jesus – The Magi
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” – Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT)
“Jesus Is Who You’re Looking For”

I was reading a George Barna report recently that talked about the interest in spirituality of Americans. His surveys showed some interesting results. It said that 37% of adults say they’re looking for inner peace. 35% said they are looking for hope. Another 30% indicated they are looking for healing. Anything jump out at you when you read this? Yeah, they’re looking for Jesus!
The Wise Men in our story were looking for Jesus, too. They didn’t know who He was or all that He was coming to do, but they did know enough about the Scriptures to know they wanted to meet Him. They weren’t Jews, but they were obviously familiar enough with prophecy to know what He was all about. Isaiah 9:6 refers to the coming Messiah as the “Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:2 says that “people walking in darkness have seen a great light”—a light of hope. Isaiah 53 tells us that it will be by His stripes that we are healed. Hmm. Peace, hope, healing. I guess people really haven’t changed much in 2000 years.
Two huge implications for us as we reflect on this. One is that we need to remind OURSELVES that it’s Jesus we’re looking for. How often do we as Christians look in other places to find answers that can only come from Him? We claim the forgiveness of Jesus but then often forget that He also meets those deeper needs of peace, hope, and healing. Like the religious leaders whom Herod consulted, we, too, overlook the Christ Child.
The second implication is the reminder that our friends and family who are far from God also want peace, hope, and healing in their lives. They are wounded, weary, and lonely. They fill their lives with money, excitement, and substances that intoxicate their mind and numb their pain. But engage them in conversation of any length and you’ll discover they are just like the Wise Men. They want peace in their hearts. They want hope in their souls. They want healing in their lives. They’re looking for Jesus. They just don’t know it’s Jesus that they’re looking for. That’s why God has US in their lives. That’s God’s Word for you today.