Stargazing

“Had the wise men not followed the star they would never have seen Jesus.”

~Bill Johnson in Spiritual Java devotional (2010)

What star are you following? Are you even following a star anymore, or has the reality of the pain and heartache in this world robbed you of your stargazing? Have clouds covered your dreams, darkening the orbs of hope you were pursuing?

Let it not be so.

“I did not go looking for a revelation of miracles on the earth. It came looking for me, and captured me. I have discovered that there is no lasting satisfaction in life apart from expressions of faith, and the way God “colors outside the lines” keeps my faith in hot pursuit of Him.”

~Bill Johnson in Spiritual Java devotional (2010)

If someone began to peruse the countless entries in my many prayer journals, they would recognize a pattern of prayers for the miraculous, lessons learned during the struggle, and, finally, God’s answer. Like the wise men, if I had not followed the star – hope for a miracle – then I would have missed so much about Jesus that I have learned from the backside of my wandering camel. No matter how much I hate the thirst and desperation of the desert, I would never know the lasting refreshment and fulfillment of Christ without the contrast between the sand and grime.

Even as I acknowledge the truth of this kingdom principle, my impatient self abhors the ramifications. In my quest for the glory of God’s star, I prefer to immediately stand in His light. The long journey from the East tests my faith and endurance. If I was a wise man, I’m not sure that I would have made it the stable in Bethlehem.    

In this season, I want to pursue with undying intensity the glory and miraculous presence of Christ. Even as my feet grow sore and my supplies run low, I want to find Jesus. I want to be a stargazer.

Join me. Look up. Do not give up hope. Glory is coming.