December 19th

You Go

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.' Matthew 2:7-8

One of the failures of our generation has to be the infamous car known as the Yugo. Although it seems to be gone for good, the legacy of the car lives on as a picture of engineering incompetence.

Herod's You Go philosophy of life is not much sounder. There was a breakdown in Herod that kept him from experiencing all that God desired for him to experience. He said to the wise men, You go and check it out. You go see if you can find him. I'm going to stay here. If you find him, come back and let me know where he is, so I can go and worship him with you. Like that famous broken-down car, Herod didn't budge.

Sadly, the spirit of Herod is prevalent in our culture these days. It's lived out in the dad who says to his family, You guys go to church. I'll stay home and hold down the fort. Or the mom who says, For me, Sundays are all about tennis. But if you guys want to go to church, you go. Or the teenager who says, Church is not for me. What a yawner to have to go and listen to that. You guys want to go, you go.

Herod practically did nothing because his self-confidence was ruling as the overwhelming presence in his life. As a result, Herod was eternally separated from God's Presence. I think this is much more than a Bible passage telling one man's story. This is a picture of a global breakdown, and the God of the universe wants to fill us with His Presence. Yet, it is the intention of Satan to remove His Presence once and for all.

The answer to the You go breakdown is to seek. Seek like the shepherds. Seek like the wise men. Seek the Presence of the One who sent His Son so that you could live in His abiding Presence each day of your life.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I don't want to be a You go person. I want to be the one who finds you, not the one left behind, outside of Your Presence. I choose to seek You, today and every day, so that I might find You.

Amen