The Christmas Star by Rick Radcliffe

              If you have been paying attention to the media, you have probably heard about the Christmas Star that is supposed to show up on December 21st.  The Christmas star is a widely used Christmas decoration on the top of Christmas trees. The bible tells us in Matthew 2:2 that the wisemen when they arrived in Bethlehem said, “Where is the one who has been born the king of the Jews?  We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
              There has been lots of buzzing about the star occurring this year.  They call it the Great Conjunction where Jupiter and Saturn are so close, they look like a double planet.  They say that it hasn’t occurred since 1226 and the next time they are that close will be 2080. They go on to say that Jupiter is known as the planet of kings and Saturn is known as the protector of Jews. 
              The Christmas star, a symbol of hope appeared and caused a lot of excitement for the Jews.  They had been told of a savior coming and this star led the shepherds and the wisemen to the baby, Jesus.
              Now here we are in December of 2020 and the star is to appear again.  What a year we have had. With all the COVID stuff, the derecho, the elections and the civil unrest, it is safe to say it has been challenging year. I believe that the star represents a symbol of hope as it represents the birth of Jesus.  My Hope comes from God. He sent us Jesus, provided us with His Word, and God’s promise of redemption to us.
             
His promise:

God Loves You
              He made you and loves you.  His love is unconditional, and God is real.  He wants you to personally experience his love and have a relationship with Him.

Sin Separates You
              Sin damages your relationships with other people and God.  It keeps us from experiencing the life that God intends for us. As a result, you are eternally separated from God and the life he planned for you.

Jesus Rescues You
              Jesus died, but he rose to life again.  He offers you peace with God and a renewed relationship with him.  Through faith in Jesus you can experience God’s love and have eternal life after death.

Will You Trust in Jesus?
              You choose to trust Jesus when you believe and confess that Jesus is Lord and surrender your life to him. 
              So, if you get a chance and are able to see the Christmas star on December 21st, reflect on what the Star pointed to. Times were hard for the Jews at the time the Christmas Star led the shepherds and the wisemen to Jesus. 2020 has also been a hard time for people all over the world. Is it just coincidence that the Star will shine again this year? Is this God’s way to provide us with hope? What do you think?
Have a great weekend!