With today’s or any day’s weather it’s smart to watch the radar, and the traffic cams. Seems wise to know when to go or not. Have supplies in the car too. TRAVEL SMART. 

Travel Smart, Listen Wisely, Follow Humbly.

It’s Epiphany! The arrival of the kings to Jesus and well they traveled SMART, not just because they were watching where the caravan animals stepped, but because they were educated and read the radar of the skies, following what they learned about a king of the Jewish people being born out of Judah, and traveled smart listened wisely to the angels on the way home too, avoiding Herod, who had evil intentions. 

The wise men were “divinely warned” and were humble in following – they went to worship and give gifts – they traveled however long was required, watching the start, following it, and took the long route when necessary. 

Joseph also traveled smart and listened wisely and followed humbly, the family escaped Herod by going to Egypt, they traveled and then returned. It was both for safety as well as fulfilled prophesy. 

Matthew the author of the book also followed humbly, he followed Jesus as a disciple, followed humbly in giving up his known life for one of piety, study, exploration and exposition into what it meant to be a new Christian. He knew to follow and Jesus knew to pick Matthew. 

Jesus traveled smart and listened wisely and followed humbly. Jesus as God had much to know about the people He would encounter, He conversed continually with His Father God, and He directed the Holy Spirit of God to be instilled in us as a living word. Jesus followed humbly in fulfilling scriptures and bringing salvation by divine destiny, desire and duty.

May we follow too.

Travel Smart, Listen Wisely, Follow Humbly. 

Amen

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Matthew 2:1-15

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

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.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The Flight into Egypt

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.