Far From Home

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 saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2

Have you ever noticed that almost everybody in the Christmas story is far from home? Mary and Joseph are in Bethlehem when they have their baby; they are far away from Nazareth. I’m sure Mary missed having her family and friends there when she gave birth to her baby!

And then there are the wise men. They are a long way from home, too, when they come to Jerusalem looking for the newborn King. They come from somewhere in the East — and they have been traveling for weeks or even months. They must’ve been homesick for the sounds and the sights of their own culture. Even the smells in Jerusalem were different.

But of course, there’s one person in this story who’s farther away from home than anybody else — and that’s Jesus himself. When Mary gave birth to him and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in that manger, that was a far cry from God’s heavenly throne. Now he would be a wanderer and a refugee on earth — first in Egypt, escaping from the murderous King Herod; and later, as an adult traveling through Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. He would have no permanent place to lay his head. Even his tomb would be borrowed.

It’s not easy to live when you’re far from home! Refugees and immigrants know this well. But Jesus did it for love of us — because he came into our world to lay down his life on the cross for our sakes, and to rise from the dead on the third day. Now everyone who trusts in him becomes a child of God and a part of his family forever. And Jesus has promised us, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)

Now none of us need ever be homeless again. In Jesus Christ, God the Father opens his arms wide to all of us — to everyone who will receive his mercy. In Jesus, we are at home, no matter where we are. Thanks be to God!

By Dr. Kari Vo