Christmas Devotional 10: God’s Got This
Matthew 2:1-2,12; Psalm 139:1-12
How’s your cancer walk going? Now, that’s a complicated question, and yet you might have plenty of people ready to share their opinion of your progress.
One common opinion is, “You look great!” You think, “Do you mean the bags under my eyes from the fatigue, or the uncommon swelling from the steroids or the gnarly reptilian skin from the meds?” You smile and say, “Thank you.” Another opinion is, “You’re doing it wrong.” They know a guy who ate this thing or took that stuff or ran 10 miles a day, and he didn’t have any problems with his cancer. You wrinkle your brow and nod your head.
Next comes everyone on your medical team, who always seem to give you feedback using numbers. Your numbers are up or your numbers are down, or some percentage of people had this happen. Somehow, these numbers never give the whole picture.
Don’t forget your body’s opinion of how the ole’ cancer walk is going:
• “This soreness doesn’t seem right. “
• “I’ve never had a headache like that.“
• “The doctor keeps saying I’m doing well, but why do I feel worse?”
• “Maybe the cancer is back?”
So, maybe you begin to look for more opinions- in not the best places.
Perhaps you read things on the internet you shouldn’t read, or listen to people’s ugly stories of cancer, or maybe you don’t push for straight answers from your oncologist. Worry grows, but when people ask, “How you are doing?” you say, “I’m fine.”
It sure would be helpful to have someone who really knew what was happening on your cancer walk. I’m thinking that on the first Christmas the wise men would have loved a little certainty that they were on the correct path. Scripture introduces us to the wise men near the end of their journey.
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2
Using these scriptures, answer the questions below.
• Did the wise men (magi) show up before or after Jesus was born? vs 1 Before After
• Where were the wise men from? vs 1 ______________________________ _________________________________________________________________
• What did the wise men see that led them to Jerusalem? ______________ _________________________________________________________________
• Whose town did they stop and ask directions from? _________________ _________________________________________________________________
Since these are “wise” men, odds are good that they read up on the hundreds of prophesies about the coming of the King of Kings, and figured out that there was going to be a star to show them the way.* Pretty smart guys. The star shows up and the wise men head out. I bet they were thinking this trip was a pretty smart idea. But the path the star took them on was through desert, mountains and barrenness. (That’s about all you see east of Jerusalem.) I would not be surprised if there came a time where they started to doubt the wisdom of their “Let’s go follow a star” idea.
By the time they got to Jerusalem, they were looking for an outside opinion of how their trek was going, so they asked around for directions. Turns out this was not their greatest decision, because it got King Herod’s attention. In a dream, they had to be told to ignore what that evil king had to say to them.
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:12
Looking for opinions of how things are going can be exhausting. Good news… God doesn’t have an opinion about your cancer walk. God KNOWS. He knows each test result and every cancer cell, but above all He knows that nothing will take you, His treasure and His delight, from the love of His mighty arms.
Read these beautiful verses below:
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:1-12
I am in awe, not just from how completely He knows me, but how He gives His all-knowing view to guide me. How does He guide me? By being the light in the darkness. Just when you think the darkness of cancer, the fatigue, the uncertainty, or the tension will overwhelm you, remember to look towards Jesus. He is light and makes the night shine like the day. If God can send a star to lead the wise men to the manger, He will certainly lead you, His beloved. Amen.
Please pray with me:
Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You know me, that You have searched me and I can live each day in certainty of Your abundant love for me. Remind me in the hard times that Your light has made the dark nights of cancer shine like day. I am not certain of what will happen next, but I am certain of You. I place my every step into Your almighty light. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
*Here are a few of the prophesies about the birth of Jesus. Micah 5:2- Bethlehem; Isaiah 7:14- The Virgin Birth; Psalm 72:10- Wise men; Numbers 24:17- The Star