Well, the week of Christmas is over from a calendar point of view. Sad in a way, simply due to the fact that many people will get back in the hustle and bustle of life, leaving behind the joy, peace, and life that comes in the throngs of Christmas. We now move on to the “NEXT” event in our life. It is so unfortunate that too many people leave the Christmas season the same way that they came way into the Christmas season. Yet, there is this one verse in the Christmas story…
Matt. 2:12, “When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.”
There are a couple of words that stick out to me here…
1st Word – Another
A different route. A way that they didn’t come previously. Not the same.
2nd Word – Warned
A sign. A word. A shift. A change. A compelling reason.
3rd Word – Herod
Wrong. Greed. Selfish. Sin. Evil. Not who they wanted to be.
As we all move onto the “NEXT” thing in our life, can I urge you to receive the same message that the 3 Wise Men received as they returned to the “NEXT” in their life.
- Go ANOTHER way, don’t be what you were before you came face to face to Jesus.
- Be WARNED about the dangers of staying the same. Take the compelling words of the Gospel with you to change the “NEXT” place in your world!
- Stay away from HEROD! Don’t feed the thoughts of selfishness, greed, sin, etc… that the enemy of your soul would solely love to corrupt the true meaning of the Christmas story!
As you move on to “NEXT,” remember the words of Jesus at the other bookend of His life on earth, just before he would ascend to heaven after His resurrection…
Matt. 28:20, “And be sure of this: I am with you ALWAYS,
even to the end of the age.”