To Find Christ

Due to a challenge issued this week by my professor I decided I would study Matthew chapter 2- the story of the Wise men coming to see Jesus. As I studied I was to compare how the Wise men would find Christ compared to how King Herod would try. When I read, I compared the Wise men's story to how I might spiritually find Christ.

When the wise men entered Jerusalem they started asking (mat. 2:2) "Where is he that is King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." The word it used was "saying" prior to this question. I only point this out because it did not say "asked." The first thing we do in our journey in finding Christ is to ask. It is not simply asking once but asking many times. So when it used the word "saying" I feel they were asking everyone they saw. God helps those who keep trying find Christ. 

I noticed at the end of their question, they note for what purpose they are trying to find Christ; it was to worship him. This purpose contrasts with that of King Herod's. When he heard of Christ (Mat. 2:3), he was "troubled." This showed that he did not have room for Christ because he felt threatened rather than at peace. Already he was shutting out the grand story of Christ. When he went to find out more (Mat. 2:4), he did not ask- instead he "demanded"his priests and scribes to tell him. One can not make demands when trying to find Christ. 

When King Herod talked to the Wise men, he lied to them about his intentions. In verse 8 he tells them that he wanted them to tell him where Christ was so he could "worship him also."  Really, he wanted to kill Christ when he attempted to in verse 16. God will not answers prayers that are a lie. If one says he would like to "find Christ," his heart has to be pure.

 I also note that King Herod did not go out himself to discover, but rather tried to take a shortcut by just having someone else tell him. We can can not share a testimony. In order to gain a testimony we have to go out ourselves to search and find it. Like wise, Herod's efforts of finding Christ through someone else's efforts would not work. 

The next part I noted was when the Wise men finally met Christ, they came with a gift for him (Mat. 2:11). I think one of the most important parts of my journey of finding Christ is I should come with a gift. I should ask myself what I can do for my Savior, who sacrificed it all in my behalf. That gift is an the act of becoming consecrated. He asks me to give myself to him. The best part about giving gifts to Christ is I am not giving up anything that is worth keeping. 

That is the beauty of Christ's atonement. Any sacrifice I make is an investment. I gain more than I can give.