Follow "The Star"

In 2017, an animated film came out called, The Star. It’s about a small but brave donkey and his animal friends becoming the unsung heroes of the first Christmas. I was surprised it didn’t do better at the box office because the cast is all-star!

Those characters are like the magi: they had a great big star in the sky to lead the way. I am no Boy Scout, so I am not sure how well I would do following a star like that. But the important point here is that God led them to the manger. The manger was a place that, unless God specifically showed you this was where the Christ Child was born you wouldn’t have believed it. You would have passed on by.

In our lives, no big stars are in the sky, leading us where we need to go. It isn’t so easy sometimes to discern where God is leading us. We may seek to use our gifts wisely, but in what manner and end is not always clear.

This is where prayer can make a huge difference. If we seek to cultivate a prayer life where we are mindful of the presence of God throughout our day, then the call is easier to discern. We can help the process by intentionally offering to God in the morning the entirety of the day to come: all our actions, time, and decisions. In the evening, we can examine the past hours of the day and reflect on when we responded well to Christ’s call and when we fell short. Then we resolve to begin again tomorrow, inviting Christ to be with us every step of the way. God may not offer a star in the sky to lead us, but the path will be much clearer if we invite him on our daily journey.