12.07.22 | The Magi

The season of Advent in the liturgical church calendar is traditionally a season of fasting that culminates in the celebration of Jesus’ birth, known historically as the Nativity Fast.

Throughout this season of Advent, we will be focusing on preparing our hearts in the same way to celebrate the birth of King Jesus by engaging with the accounts of various people who were present at the Nativity.

For this second week of Advent, we will spend time reflecting on the story of the Magi from Matthew 2:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and 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.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
  who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Consider what stood out to you or what the Lord put on your heart today regarding the Magi. Spend time in prayer or journal about what you are hearing as you encounter God, utilizing the four movements of FAST:

  1. Focus: Find a quiet place to settle your mind and open yourself to the Holy Spirit’s presence.
  2. Adoration: Spend time honoring and exalting God, tell him what you appreciate about him. Contemplate on who he is and what he has done. You might even be able to get a sense of his presence with you.
  3. Speak: Commune with God, taking moments to both speak to him about what’s on your heart and to pause and listen for his voice. Use journals to write down what you hear him say. Ask simple follow up questions like, “is there anything else you’d like me to know about [fill in the topic]” to really get to the heart of what Jesus wants to communicate to you and what you want to say to him or plead for while you fast.
  4. Transform: Commit to taking active steps to change or address what the Lord revealed during your time of fasting.

Past Fasting & Prayer Focus Posts