The Ultimate Journey (Part Three)

By Ilcias Vargas, Jr.

​“Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way” (Matthew 2:12, NKJV).

After an amazingly long journey, the Magi from the East found the Christ child and expressed their worship to Him.  On their way there, the Magi had been told by King Herod to report back to him regarding the location of the child Jesus, whom they referred to as Israel’s Newborn King.  They had not perceived the jealous Roman ruler’s true motives, however.  The real reason why King Herod wanted to know the location of Baby Jesus was that he wanted to kill this child whom he thought would be the contender for his position.  Since the wise men were unaware of this fact, God told them in a dream not to go back home the way they came; they therefore chose a route that allowed them to avoid Jerusalem.

The Magi obeyed God, even when they did not initially understand the reason.  They trusted the God they had come to love and serve.  As we learn more about God through His Word and His guidance in our lives, our trust in Him should be strengthened.  When we trust Him, we learn to obey Him, taking Him at His Word even when we don’t understand the reasons behind His instructions.

As we begin the new year 2018, may we learn to trust God and obey Him out of simple faith.  Looking back on the past year, I can see how God has been faithful in my life, and my faith and trust is strengthened by that.  In this new year, let us, in the words of the old hymn, “trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”