“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
Every Christmas, when I was a child, we placed a nativity set on top of the television. The roof was thatched with real moss, and I remember the sheep and cow that always faced each other from opposite ends of the VCR. Baby Jesus was there in the middle, along with Mary, Joseph, a shepherd, an angel glued to the eaves, and, outside the stable, the three Magi.
The shepherds had it easy. When the Savior of the world was born, they were right down the street. But when the wise men realized what was happening, they had to pack up their camels and travel a long, long way. They arrived exhausted, unexpected, and--if the nativity set atop my VCR is any indication--overdressed.
The presence of the Magi at the manger shows what it means for every knee to bow. These people had crossed land and sea in order to meet the son of a God they didn't even know by name. Leaving their countries and following the star, they came to a place where Jesus was the only thread that bound them to the people they found at the end of their travels.
Every human life, however spent, is intended to be a journey toward God. At the end of every Christian's road waits the realization that those who share the voyage are from so many places that they have, and need have, but one thing in common: they have seen in Jesus Christ the unique presence of God to a waiting, needy world.
Andrew Smith joined First Baptist Nashville in 1997 and is married to Pamela Hoppes Smith. His parents, Randy and Diane Smith, and sister, Kara Smith Mitchell, are also First Baptist members. Andrew is a student at Vanderbilt University, teaches Bible at Belmont University, and enjoys goofing off with First Baptist’s children from time to time.
The audio version of today's devotional was recorded by Gary Beaty.
