As a Seeker, May We Not Settle for Lies

I was a seeker, for light in a dark world. I looked for truth, but settled for lies … such are the opening words from a Gold City’s dramatic tune.

I can remember as a child my mother hiding our Christmas gifts. Tops of closets, in the blanket chests, trunks of cars. For if she put them under the tree early, we would have surely shook, toggled, weighed, and tried to guess what wonder was within.

One year she put a lot of them under the tree early. But instead of putting our names on each box, she put codes on the gifts. So as we explored the gift options before the official day, we had to try to guess which was ours. The only problem was that on Christmas Day, she lost her sheet that told which gift belong to whom. So we randomly opened gifts one at a time. I still remember the trauma of opening my sister’s gifts … I looked for truth, but settled for lies.

In so many ways, this search could describe so many of us. We seek something. We are trying find meaning, purpose, anything that makes sense of all of … life. And on our journey, we get distracted and we settle for less then the fullness of truth. We find something that makes us feel good, so we stop looking.

And way too often, we leave God out of the equation and try to stay in control of it all.

The next line of the song says … I had been blinded, I couldn’t see. ‘Till the star in Bethlehem’s sky, opened my eyes.

The Magi were seekers of truth. Looking to the stars, wise men of old, and wisdom of many. But it was the star in the sky that led them to the real truth. And they didn’t let up until they found him. Yes, I said him … for the truth they sought has a name.

We can be like the Magi, or we can be like Herod. They recognized the greatness of the event, but Herod thought he could control the outcome, control destiny, and squash the truth. His lie caused the slaughter of so many young baby boys. He had been blinded, and the there was eternal repercussions.

I love Christmas. The lights, the music, the food, the decorations … the gifts. But if that is all I get out of Christmas, I am settling for lies. There is nothing wrong with these things, they just aren’t the real reason of a Christmas. And I don’t want to settle. I want the truth, the whole truth, the fullness of all He has for each one of us. And He brings purpose, a reason to live.

When the star in Bethlehem’s sky, opened my eyes. I have seen the Light, shining in the darkness. Bursting through the shadows, delivering the dawn. I have seen Light, His holy name is Jesus. His kingdom is forever. He reigns on heaven’s throne.

That my friend is the Christmas I seek to experience. The truth’s name is Jesus. May you find Him too.

Merry Christmas.