Following the Star

Pause

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

from “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant & Chris Eaton (1992)

 

Listen

In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius—when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea and Herod was ruler over Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler over Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was ruler over Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—God’s word came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins.

Luke 3:1-3

Think

Throughout the Bible, we read these introductions where there is a chronology of sorts. Many times, we skip over them because they seem irrelevant or we don’t even know how to pronounce the names. The thing is, these introductions are actually helping us understand the context of who was in leadership, which also gives us some insight into what was going on at the exact time and the issues that the people of this time were facing. After this introduction, there is recognition that while they were living under the leadership of the people listed, John was traveling through this same land and people were being transformed by their relationship to Christ and their understanding of God’s grace for them.

Think about your context. What leaders – political, religious, or otherwise – have you been shaped by? How has living and learning in this time with these particular leaders influenced you? How have you been transformed by Christ’s love and God’s grace in the midst of it all?

Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks

Pray

God of past, present, and future, help me to learn from history as I live in the present and make choices about the future. Grant me wisdom and courage. Amen.

Go

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.

from “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant & Chris Eaton (1992)