ZPCBlog

About the author: Marissa Cope and her husband Tim are members of ZPC and have attended for almost 6 years along with their two boys - Hunter (8) and Everett (3). Marissa is a nurse at Riley, and she loves spending her free time with her family. At church, she enjoys volunteering with the Littles and Bigs, helping out with VBS, and offering her time to help with crafty projects.  

Today’s scripture is Matthew 2:12: “And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

Herod sent the Magi to Bethlehem, telling them to find Jesus and then report back to him in order for Herod to be able to “worship” Jesus as well. After the Magi followed the star to where Jesus was with Mary, they bowed in reverence, worshipped Jesus, and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The wise men were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they traveled back to their country following a different path. 

I was drawn to this verse because the Magi listened to God’s message presented to them in a dream. The act of slowing down and trying to listen to God’s message for me has been a large part of my faith journey this past year. I often have so much on my mind and feel as though I have so many plates spinning that I find I am not taking enough time to slow down, to breathe, to just listen.  The noise in my mind is so deafening at times, that I cannot even process what I am feeling in my heart. What is God calling me to do? How is the Holy Spirit leading me? How can I seek to understand if I am unable to hear God’s message?  

Realizing this, I decided to purposefully attempt to slow down, to embrace the quiet, and to take time to not only hear, but to listen, to the Holy Spirit. When Jerry challenged us to take 10 minutes or so each day to be silent, this challenge came at the perfect time for me - well played, God! My faith has grown so much over the last year by leaning into the silence. I have learned that I hear God the most clearly when I am quiet. The act of silence can create space and bring about comfort in our minds and hearts. It can expand our senses, make us more aware of all of the blessings around us, and allow us to acknowledge the “shoots among the stumps.” 

The Magi listened to their dream and did not go back to Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus. What if the Magi ignored the message in the dream and went back to Herod? Could you imagine the story that we would be sharing during the holiday season? How would this story look different? How could our story look different if we just slow down and listen to God’s word?

Like the wise men, let us hear God’s word, so that we can listen and follow God’s plan for us.  

Lord, please help us. During the busyness of this holiday season, please continue to help us to quiet our minds and allow us to feel what is in our hearts in order to help us draw nearer to you and your will. Help us to hear so that we may listen to your word and seek to understand your plan for us.  Help us continue to deepen our faith journey, to recognize the shoots among the stumps, and to keep our eyes on the reason for this Advent season.  It is with a quiet mind and an open heart that we pray to you.
Amen.

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