By Another Road
After Jesus was born, King Herod conferred with the scribes and chief priests and asked them where the Anointed One of God was to be born (Matt. 2:1-12). He then secretly summoned the wise men and questioned them about a special star that had appeared. The wise men were knowledgeable in the practice of astrology and astronomy. He dispatched them to follow the star to Bethlehem and search diligently for the child—the new prophesied Messiah. He asked them to return with the child’s whereabouts and then Herod would go himself and pay homage to the child. But something miraculous foiled Herod’s plans. When the wise men arrived, they entered the home of the holy family and immediately they fell to the ground and worshiped the child. Then one by one they brought forth valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh praising the child—the Promised One. We are not told exactly what happened but something brought these wise men to their knees. After coming face to face with the child Jesus, it changed their hearts forever. Instead of returning to Herod to report their findings, God sent them a divine message in a dream to return to their own country by another road.
So from the very beginning, much like today people began to group together in their response and reactions to the birth of Jesus. First there is Herod who hated Jesus and despised the threat of another King. He feared losing his title, power and authority. He feared losing his influence and control over others. For he wanted to live life on his own terms and continue in his lavish lifestyle.
The second reaction came from the chief priests and scribes who didn’t want anything to rock-the-boat for fear their well-ordered theology and legalism might be dismantled. They wanted to preserve the status quo and continue to live a life of self-righteousness. And lastly, there were the wise men who experienced for themselves the astonishing mystery of God becoming flesh to save humanity from their sins. They responded not with skepticism nor hatred but with worship and praise. The wise men who were Gentiles, listened and discerned God’s voice and did not return to Herod who wanted to kill the child. Instead they received the fulfillment of God’s prophesy in the Messiah, protected the child by turning away from Herod and Jerusalem and went home by another road. As you look back at 2023 and step into the new year, how many times have you averted disaster or trouble because you chose to listen to the still small voice of God and took another road—the higher road. What does a new road look like in your life and faith? Maybe taking another road in the new year means exploring your reaction and response towards God—who and what are you truly seeking? Or maybe a new road of discovery is your relationship with power and money. Maybe taking a new road means finding new ways to steward the earth. Or maybe a new road for you would be to take a closer look at habitual struggles such as overuse or misuse of social media, video games and substances. Or maybe taking another road is cultivating honesty and transparency in your relationships to foster deeper connections. No matter the road you are on right now or the road you would like to be on, God is always calling us back to himself, a road paved with his mercy and grace. As you explore new roads this year, remember you are not alone. God is with you. God’s love and forgiveness are always calling us out of darkness into a good place, a protected place, a wide-open space of truth and self-discovery. May Christ be our light into the new year. Amen. Rev. Dona Johnson and GracePointe of Sedona invite you to join them for worship at The Gathering Place for conversations on faith and life. Visit www.gracepointeofsedona.org