Advent Day 13 - Symbol of Christmas: Star

Atop most Christmas trees I've seen, no matter how decorated otherwise, I have found a star or angel. A lovely apex, the star is another Christmas symbol.

Sing with me...

O Star of wonder, star of night

Star with royal beauty bright

Westward leading, still proceeding

Guide us to thy Perfect Light

The star is used to represent the so called Star of Bethlehem which is said to have appeared in the night's sky and 'lead' the Magi to find Jesus (Matthew 2).

The Magi, also called the Wise Men, followed the star seeking the one who would be born, 'King of the Jews'. I don't recall where I read this quote but, 'what made the Wise Men wise, was that they looked for Jesus first. No matter what.' I hope that this is true for you and your family, as well as mine this Christmas season.

What I love about the star, is that it's apex, the top point on a five pointed star points up, to heaven. One of my favourite memories of Christmas time is the family holiday my parents and I would take around this time of year. For many years we would travel the 5 odd hours to Yarrahapinni Adventist Youth Centre to spend a week by the beach, swimming, fishing, bike riding, just being in nature and being together. On the warm summer evenings, we'd sometimes walk out to the concrete stage space which had heated up under the sun throughout the day and we'd lay down in the darkness to watch the millions of stars twinkle above us. When eventually we changed our family holiday location to Shoalhaven, we'd take the same activity but this time lay on warm sand and call out when we'd see falling stars, shooting stars and satellites.

Living where I do in Tasmania, I'm rather spoiled on a clear night when I come home and look up at the stars above me. I don't do it often enough, but I love the feeling I get of how small I am in light of the expanse above me. But more than that, I appreciate that the Creator of those millions of stars, thought it worth creating me too. And even more than that. He thought you and I worth leaving the throne of heaven for; to take on human likeness; be born a baby; to live a sinless life; to die a horrible death on a cross and to raise to life again, so that one day soon, He can call us home to live with Him forever.

I hope this Christmas season you get the chance to look up at the stars and remember your Creator and Saviour. And I hope each glance at a star on a Christmas tree around you reminds you of His love for you.

N.

P.S. A special thank you to my neighbours, the Young family, for sending in a photo of their Christmas tree this year.

Celebrating Holidays goes into further detail of the ancient signs in the sky that led the Magi to pack their bags and head for Bethlehem.