Page 27 - CWW CHRISTMAS

December 21

STAR OF WONDER
Ben Hagins

Former Baylor University golfer and friend, Jimmy Walker, won the 2016 PGA
Golf Championship. What you may not know about Jimmy is that he is a star-gazer. He
regularly programs his Celestron photographic telescope and peers into deep space to
capture remarkable heavenly objects. While our naked eye can only see about 3000
stars, even with binoculars or an inexpensive telescope, one can view multitudes more
stars and distant galaxies. In fact, there are over 100 billion galaxies with many trillions
of stars, planets, moons, and who knows what else. I am humbled by this
incomprehensible size and magnitude of God’s creation.
Psalm 19:1 RSV reads, “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the
firmament proclaims his handiwork.”
So how does all this relate to Advent? We are told in Matthew 2:1–23 that the
Magi, known as Wise Men, studied the heavens and followed a star that brought them
to Jesus. When King Herod heard of this event, he conspired to have Jesus killed, but the
Magi outwitted Herod and Jesus was saved. These verses are directly related to the
Christmas story as recorded in Luke 2:1–21.
Next time you look up at night and view the stars in our Milky Way galaxy, think
of the star that the Magi followed to Jesus, the One who gives salvation, hope, and
abundant life. Read reverently the words of a favorite Christmas carol by John H.
Hopkins, Jr.
We Three Kings
We three kings of orient are
Bearing gifts, we traverse afar.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright.
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.