'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Celebrated in January of every year, Epiphany is a Christian feast day where we celebrate the Magi’s visit to the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:1-6). It is easy to marvel simply at the fact that these visitors came bearing expensive gifts, but their identities are just as important, if not more so, in revealing the significance of their place in the story.
The most accurate translation of the word for Magi is sorcerers, not wise men. This means these men were astrologers well-versed in the ways of magic (think: Magi, magic). Yet these learned ones chose to instead trek from far away to bow down before the wondrous infant whose star divinely guided them (v. 11). (I guess by this point in the story Mary and Joseph had moved away from the manger.)
In fact, these magicians were the only members of the infancy narratives who bow before Jesus. Mary ponders what she’s observed, Joseph is merely described as being present, and the shepherds come to see whether the angel’s news to them in the field was true. It’s only the magicians who bow.
My version of ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus is more upbeat than I normally hear it in order to draw special attention to the fact that Jesus is worthy of enthusiastic praise and worship. It can be so sweet to reserve for Jesus deep reverence, reverence that I’d otherwise be tempted to give to other magical spectacles around me. I especially notice this discrepancy between Jesus and others when I come to Analog Sabbath, my weekly day of laying aside all screens. Once the noise of the screens cease, I’m reminded of the sober fact that technology ought not own me and is ultimately a limited spectacle. My devices are forms of magic in our modern age whose power I choose to limit because I would rather trust Jesus to be my ultimate focus of attention. When I bow to Jesus on Analog Sabbath, I remember the proper place of tech - as a tool, not a lord.
What forms of magic tempt you to step away from Jesus? Who would be blessed if you trusted Him more?
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