By: Annie Rogers

Let’s be honest. In our everyday environment, stars are nothing special. Our hazy night skies pale in comparison to the troves of diamonds that poets attribute to stars. For us, it’s hard to imagine how voyagers could ever use stars as a map to guide them on their journey. A faint twinkling of three stars hardly seems to indicate a sense of direction. It isn’t until we pull away from the lights of civilization and step out into the wilderness that stars once again reclaim their beauty, disperse a plethora of constellations, and transform into a traveler’s compass.

For the wise men, stars opened up a world of exploration. One star, in particular, caught their attention–the star that would lead them to the long-awaited King of the Jews. How convenient for them, right? All they had to do was follow this one exceedingly bright star that outshone the others, and there underneath it would lie the Savior of the World. It was as if they had their own yellow brick road paved out for them with a pot of gold waiting at the end of a rainbow.

How nice.

Much like our illuminated environment of the 21st century blocks our celestial view of the heavens, so does our chaotic lifestyle interfere with our journey to Jesus. We see no star on the horizon, and therefore, no hope. We plug on, day after day, blindly filling our voids with anything this world can offer, hoping something will be enough to satisfy. Every night, we search for a star. From the comfort of our homes, communities, even phones–we wonder where God is. Amidst the distractions of work, and school, and family, and sports, and church, we wonder why God seems so silent.

Where is your bright shimmering star, God?

We grow weary from worry. Worry about our lives, our jobs, our health, our children. The fears pile up. All life’s possibilities of pain and misfortune loom ahead. Our minds are clouded by the distractions and the suffering we can’t seem to shake. We assume the worst, lower our expectations, and adjust to the newest predicament.

Where is God in all this?

Forgotten.

Beyond the pollution of our deteriorating lives shines a brilliant star. If only we would turn off the false illumination, we would be able to see Him. If only we’d set aside our schedules, we could admire His beauty. If only we’d push past our pain, we could soak in His majesty and wonder.

It is here we find our star. It is here, in a clear sky, where God speaks His peace over us. It is in a cleansed heart that God reilluminates our lives with a spider web of constellations and sets us off on a journey.

A life reimagined. A life made new.

Read more of this Advent Devotional and other Daily Pursuits at www.dailypursuits.blog