"A king's subject must never be higher than the king," says the King of Siam in "The King and I," and the scene that follows is classic--Miss Anna balks, then in utter frustration, bows lower and lower, until in ridiculous posture, she has satisfied the king's whim, and is allowed to present her wishes to His Highness, King of Siam.
In "another time and another place," the stage is set for the "bowing scene" of all time. The props are a humble home, humped camels, handsome gifts, and a heavenly Star! The characters are Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and playing the leading role, a young Child about two years old. The drama of the ages about to be played on the stage of a world He made. One performance--one moment--forever frozen in time and eternity.
A forced bow? Never--the Wise Men in deep humility and awe gladly bow before the Baby King, present their gifts, and worship God's Son. A famous bow? Without question--you can read about it in God's Word, in children's story books, and even on the Internet! A for-you bow? That's a question only you can answer. For, to bow or not to bow, that IS the question...
A Helping Word...or Two!
Lord of Love!...Love for a lifetime--does it work? Look at the divorce rate and know that wedding smiles can turn into angry tears all too quickly. Romance turns to rage; desire to disillusionment; and searing pains of rejection and ridicule burn into the soul. Christmas? For some, it's a time of burning up and bowing OUT!
Not the Wise Men! When they first bowed before the Christ Child, they must have felt a divine love as never before--a love superceding all earthly loves. Here was a Lord they could trust, a Lord Who could pour His Love into every hurt of their life--and all they had to do was bow.
Submit to His Lordship? Surrender to His Love? In His presence, the questions are unequivocably answered--He is a God to be trusted. He is a God Who yearns to be Lord of every intimate detail of your life. True love and joy are found not in bowing to your own will and desire, not in bowing out of one relationship and into another, but in submission and surrender to His divine and all-wise Lordship. Therein lies peace. But the choice is up to you--to bow or not to bow--that is the question!
Lord Of Life!...One Life to Live--does it work? Look at the birth records, then the obituaries, and know there is no alternative! The Wise Men could easily have missed the greatest opportunity of a lifetime, had they not decided to take that one leap of faith. Their hearts told them this was more than just a baby. They must go; they must see; they must be satisfied. And that they did--they came, they saw, and HE conquered!
For their lives must have been forever changed. No one can bow before the King and not have it so. Kneeling before that young Child changed the focus of their lives--as it will yours! You can run your own life, and fail or be successful--but until you kneel before the King, you will never know complete faith or fulfillment. Give your life to Him--He will give His life to you. It's that simple--and therein lies peace. But the choice is up to you--to bow or not to bow--that is the question!
Lord Of Light!...One Light to Shine--does it work? Look at the Star, precisely guiding the Wise Men to the Lord they would love. Know there IS no other Light, no other clear-cut direction, without a personal relationship with the Light of your world. Astrology, the psychic hot line--most of us will easily refuse to bow. But our own willful plans and purposes? We know best--why bow to His leadership?
If the Wise men had not followed the Star, had they mapped it out with their own radar, they might still be looking for the Christ Child! They were wise enough to know they must follow the leadership of the One who placed the star in the heavens. A wise decision, to be sure! For it led them to the One who was the Light of their world, who would forever change the direction of their lives.
As He will yours--if you will let Him. For it is really, once again, YOUR choice. To bow or not to bow--that is the question!
Christmas--a time to bless and be blessed--a wonderful time of celebration and delight. But it's also a time to bow--to recognize the Christ of Christmas as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Not just of the whole world--but most importantly, of YOUR world. Where you love, laugh, learn, and live. Every part of you surrendered to His Lordship--that's the BEST gift you can give Him this Christmas!
To believe is to bow--and therein lies peace. But again, it's up to you. Unlike the King of Siam, the King of Kings will not force you to bow. It is your free choice, and the answer you alone can give. To bow or not to bow--that is the Christmas question!
And that's just a word...or two, from my heart to yours!
His Healing Word
"And when they were 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 unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:12 KJV)."
