By Pastor Don Schatz

Jesus

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“…a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…”  Numbers 24:17. English Standard Version

When our family lived in Tucson, we enjoyed visiting the De Grazia gallery and museum.  We have several of his pieces of art and always enjoyed the understated, yet colorful way he often presented his subject.  In today’s example, one has to look close to see the Nativity Star.  But it is there.

The Lord uses the understated and sometimes the surprising to tell the story of his Christ.  The oracle quoted above was certainly from a surprising source.  Balaam was not a prophet of Yahweh.  Even so, he could only speak what Yahweh permitted.  One of the understated points in the story is that Yahweh alone is the true God.

When Balaam’s oracle came true, Yahweh God used a surprising and understated means of bringing Messiah, Jesus, into the world.  A Virgin Mother.  A big-handed, carpenter husband as a mid-wife. Straw and a manger as cradle. We add the Star, though it comes into the story later. Perhaps that is why De Grazia muted the Star’s presence in his depiction.

Many people place a Star at the top of their Christmas tree.  Many also include a Nativity scene at the base of the tree.  Perhaps De Grazia was mindful of this custom.  The heavenly Star is rather muted.  Because it is not the ‘star’ of the story.  The Star points to the ‘real star’, the little one in the manger below.

Our celebration of Christmas is very close.  My grandchildren will finally get their wish.  They have been telling me, “I want today to be Christmas!”  We work at helping them understand that the presents are also not the star of the Christmas Story!  It is Jesus.

The Jesus Story is drawing you closer and closer to the wonder of a star-filled night, an angel chorus and a simple story of Birth.  There is nothing simple about its meaning.  God loves you.  God came for you.  He comes to you still today.  He sweeps you up in the telling, and you become the Star.  Jesus came for you.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado