Adore - the Teen Girl's Guide to AdventSample

It's Christmas!

Today is the most exciting day of the year: Christmas Day!

Long ago, there were some foreign men called Magi, or “wise men.” They lived very far away from Jesus’s birthplace.

The Magi were ancient astronomers who made a living studying the stars and the sky. It turned out that right around the birth of Jesus, there was a star that appeared in the night sky. It piqued their interest. They knew that this was no ordinary star! It meant something very special; the birth of the Messiah would be very soon. The Magi remembered the prophecy that He would be born in a Jewish town, so they followed the star to Jerusalem.

When they arrived at the city, the Magi thought that the leaders would be overjoyed at the birth of the Messiah! But when they talked with King Herod, he was jealous when he heard the news. There was no way he wanted a baby to take over the throne! He tricked the Magi into believing that he also wanted to find the Messiah so that he could worship Him. He asked the Magi to find the baby and then give him word as soon as they knew where He was.

The Magi did indeed find the baby Jesus. They worshipped Him and adored Him. However, an angel came to the wise men and told them not to go back to Herod, since Herod wanted to kill baby Jesus. They listened to the angel and returned home a different way.

These Magi went to great lengths to find the baby Jesus so that they could worship Him. They likely traveled hundreds of miles and in terrible conditions just to meet the Messiah face-to-face. They waited for His birth to be fulfilled. They had faith that the special star was a sign from God, proclaiming the birth of Jesus.

You and I should strive to be like the wise men. Why?

Because they went to great lengths to find Jesus.

Merry Christmas!