Matthew 2:2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.”
Worship is a word we spend little time contemplating. We usually connect it with certain common spiritual activities.
For many, worship is attendance at a particular religious event. For others, it is participation in some liturgy associated with their faith. Still others think of worship as a set of spiritual songs sung privately or in a gathering of believers.
While all these definitions capture some of the elements of worship, they fail to fully address its essence. Worship is these things, but it is more than these things. We can perform these activities and still not worship. Why? Because real worship starts in and flows from a person’s heart. Without the right heart, our worship is weak. It misses its mark.
When the Magi followed the Savior’s star to Jerusalem, they were doing more than satisfying their astronomical curiosity. They recognized that this star was directing them to someone worthy of worship. They wanted to find this newborn King of the Jews so that they could worship Him. Worshiping Jesus was in their hearts and on their minds.
The Magi got it right. Their first priority was worship! How about you? Are you a true worshiper of the Lord? Let’s make this Christmas a time to rekindle our spirit of worship.
PRAYER
Lord, we often engage in the activities of worship without a full investment of our attention and with less than our whole hearts. Thank you for the example of the Magi who understood your worthiness and pursued you for the primary purpose of worship. During this Christmas season, please rekindle a spirit of genuine worship in our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
