The Return
Read This Week: Matthew 2
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel.” So he got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. – Matthew 2:19-20 & 23 NIV
The great poet, T.S. Eliot, once wrote, “We shall not cease from exploring but at the end of our exploration, we will return to where we started and know the place for the first time.” Eliot was describing the beautiful contradiction that exists within the human soul. We are, by nature, explorers and curious beings with an appetite for the unknown and a craving to experience what is unfamiliar.
All the while, this unbridled spirit hides within itself a silent affection for the place it knows well and a feeling to be in its surroundings. The heart of the voyager is alive when it has the freedom to investigate, even though it betrays itself with the longing for home. Here is the intersection of our desire to both search and survive. Here, it can feel like one has been gone forever from the place they are supposed to be. Toiling in exile like one pining to return to a place they have never been.
This was the situation for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in Matthew 2. They were in Bethlehem for the birth of Christ as the prophecy foretold and visited by the Magi, who King Herod was trying to use to locate Jesus so he could kill him. After this, an angel of the Lord told them to go to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. Then after some time, they were instructed to return to Israel, but they had to go to Galilee and Nazareth to avoid Archelaus (the son of Herod), who was now in power. Verses 21 and 23 tell us:
So he got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were people without a place to belong. They were sojourners trying to return to their home armed with nothing but faith and obedience in the word of the Lord. God was guiding them away from trouble, through uncertainty, and amid all the things that would threaten them as they fulfilled His purposes. God was helping them navigate their return home. Verses 19-20 says:
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
Our lives and journeys are no different. Our paths are littered with paradox yet with a singular purpose to restore what is strange to its rightful place of intimacy. It is a never-ending story of discovery and longing for where we started. That’s why we need faith in the guidance and precise direction from The One, not limited by the human condition. The One who transcends anything that may influence or manipulate us. The One with the ability to help us navigate life. He knows best and we must trust Him to return home.
In reading Matthew 2 this week. this was what God was saying to me. The star that the Magi followed was Jesus Christ’s star itself, but it led others to Christ. The Magi presented gifts to Jesus. In the same way, when you give to Jesus, with your tithes and offerings, you don’t give to Him directly, but to His people, who use those gifts on His behalf. More important than the gifts you bring, is the fact that you worship Jesus. If you look for Jesus, you will find Him. If you truly see Him, you will worship Him. You will also worship Him by giving tithes and offerings to Him and not empty hand adoration. You also worship Him by bringing others to Him.
What this said to me was I am to worship Jesus with all of my heart. Worshiping Him is not just me singing and praising Him. I will have a heart of gratitude to Him, thanking Him, by bringing others to Him, by giving my tithes and offerings to Him, and by serving others for Him.
This was great commentary, as usual, Kathy but I was struck and have been thinking on one short line from your post: not empty hand adoration. I love that. A hand of adoration to God is never empty. It is filled with gratitude and love for our Savior and the tangible things that he has given us that we, in turn, give back to Him. What a short but powerful statement.
God was saying to me it’s important to listen and respond because you never know you could be a part of helping someone out of a situation. You could be helping someone give their life to Jesus so they can be a part of the Family and have everlasting life. So listen up and respond when I tell you to! Because I love you and I love them too.
What’s important is how Joseph listened to the angel in Matthew 2:13, When the wise men had left, an angel (a *messenger) from the *Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up! (Tenderly) Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt’, he said to Joseph. ‘Stay there until I tell you to return. Herod is going to search for the child because Herod wants to kill him.’ v14 Then Joseph got up. During the night, he took the child and his mother to Egypt. v15 They stayed there until King Herod died. So the words that God had spoken by means of his servant came true:(And He obeyed)
What this means to me is in our journey with Father God He speaks to us in different ways, He can show us through the Bible, dreams, visions, He gives us signs, discernment, through others, messages, God is not limited, whether he speaks to you through His word, through prayer which is Talking to Him and listening to Him, through the Bible, wise counsel, circumstances, intuition, nature, dreams, and visions or His still small voice, one thing is for sure “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
He shows me through different ways because He loves me, He knows me, He knows my heart, He knows how I will respond to Him, It’s still up to me to talk to Him, seek Him, then listen and then respond the way He is leading me because it will turn out good. It blesses my heart and it will bless someone else’s heart if their listening and wanting to respond to God’s voice.
Proverbs 19:20 says, Hear counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, that you may be wise in the time to come.
This is all such wonderful and deep commentary, Heidi. I really appreciated all of your use of Scripture on the same theme of listening and following God. It was a bibliological post to be sure. This particular line stood out to me personally:
In our journey with Father God, He speaks to us in different ways, He can show us through the Bible, dreams, visions, He gives us signs, discernment, through others, messages, God is not limited…
I think this is an important point to make when following God and living for him daily. He is not limited in the ways in which He speaks to us in a multiplicity of avenues and makes Himself available to us as we follow Him. We are never without guidance, wisdom, and judgment from Him. What a blessing and hopeful understanding of the Christian life.
I got mine for Matthew two verses 10 and 11:
Let us be as wise men, who came from afar let us each search for God right here, where we are. He will lead us with his word his spirit will show us the way just as the star like the Wise men to baby Jesus, Christmas day. Let’s surrender to him our life, give Jesus everything we hold our worldly sacrifices for him, and more precious than any gold.
What that means to me is that we should give our hearts to Jesus. Offer up all for our praise and worship to God and give our treasures to him, our father God.
This is such a good word of encouragement and challenge, Jeri. Wisdom is the most desired yet undersought thing in our lives and in the world. But the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, so wise people do as you said and surrender to him their lives, give Jesus everything they hold and their worldly sacrifices for him, and more precious than any gold.