Wise Faith

This weekend I’ll be taking my 2-year-old daughter on a trip to the dollar store so she can pick out presents for her daddy and baby brother. My husband and I want to teach her about giving and generosity, but honestly, I have no idea what will happen on her first little gift-buying excursion. In my head, I envision a precious bonding moment, where she will excitedly choose gifts, and we’ll smile and reflect on how cute and precocious she is. But she could just end up throwing a temper tantrum and pulling everything off the shelf while shouting “Mine!” Or maybe I’ll just have to be open to some really interesting present selections. Whatever happens, I know I can expect the unexpected.

But what does my impending shopping trip have to do with LifeMatters? This week we’re studying the wise men’s story, which is full of unexpected moments. First, elite wise men showed up on Joseph and Mary’s doorstep bearing priceless gifts. Then in a dream, God warned the wise men to return home by a different route. Or consider this week’s advent reading, Matthew 1:18-23. Joseph was thrown a curve ball when he found out his fiancée was pregnant, but God told him to marry her anyway.

Joseph was open to obeying God’s plans, even when that plan wasn’t predictable. So were the wise men. Hopefully you and I can be ready to obey God’s perfect, unpredictable plan for our lives as well. Even if—in my case at least—it means responding in grace and love while my toddler decides to give everyone toilet paper and costume jewelry for Christmas.

Interactive links for further reflection:

• “Who Were the Wise Men?” by John MacArthur
• “Star of Wonder” by Sara Groves