Being Stirred Up by a Shining Star — Part 1
God stirred the hearts of distant magi with a single star—and they came seeking the Light of the world.
Devotional Credit: eManna
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Witness Lee contrasts the knowing and the seeking. At the time of Jesus’ birth, the religious establishment had the Scriptures, the temple, and centuries of tradition. Yet when the promised Messiah came, they remained unmoved. Meanwhile, a group of Gentile magi—outsiders in every cultural and religious sense—set off on a long journey not because of a command, but because of a light.
God, in His grace, initiated something extraordinary: He bypassed the epicenter of religion and revealed His sign to pagan astrologers. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how they knew the star signified the King of the Jews, only that the sight stirred them to seek and worship. This mystery is not for guessing—it is for marveling. What matters most is that they followed the light they were given.
The lesson? Knowing truth isn’t the same as being stirred by it. The priests and scribes had the Scriptures, but the magi had a star—and they moved. The best posture of heart is to have both: to treasure God’s Word while staying sensitive to His fresh movements. God’s light still shines where we least expect it, and often not where we’ve assumed it should be. The question is: are we willing to be stirred?
✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am the One who reveals Myself not only in temples but in deserts, not only in the Scriptures but through signs that stir the heart to search. I know how to reach those far from Me, and I know how to stir those near to Me who have become settled.
To the magi, I gave a star. They did not possess the scrolls or sit beneath the teachings of prophets, yet their eyes were open. They saw, they rose, and they came. But to those in the holy city, I gave My Word—and still they would not come.
You have My Word, and My indwelling presence. I have placed both Scripture and Spirit within your grasp. Do not let familiarity dull your wonder or tradition keep you from journeying. I stir not only the lost but the found. I call not only the wandering but the waiting.
When I shine, move. When I stir, respond. The magi rejoiced with exceedingly great joy because they followed My leading. You too will find joy as you yield—not to your expectations, but to My invitation. I am still revealing Myself. I still shine.
Let your worship begin with movement. Let your heart remain soft. Let your eyes stay open. And know this—I will guide you all the way to where I am.
Scriptures referenced: Matthew 2:1–2, 10–11; Isaiah 60:1–3; John 1:9; Romans 10:20
🕯️ Real-Life Analogy
It’s like waking up in the middle of the night and noticing a sliver of light coming through the curtains. You didn’t expect it, you weren’t looking for it—but there it is. Something stirs you to get up and see. And when you do, you discover the moon has broken through the clouds or the sunrise has just begun. That little shimmer of light changed your direction—and led you to wonder.
🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for giving me both Your Word and Your guiding presence. You didn’t leave me to figure it all out on my own. You stir me in ways I don’t always expect—sometimes through Scripture, sometimes through a gentle nudge, sometimes through a light I wasn’t looking for. I trust that You are always revealing Yourself, and I rest in the assurance that You are guiding me to Yourself, not through striving, but by Your invitation. I rejoice that You have opened my eyes to the Light of the world—Christ in me, the hope of glory.