I’ve shared this before, but I ran across this devotion again and thought it might help us as we journey toward Christmas:
The Gospels do not tell us how many wise men, or magi, journeyed to Bethlehem following the star. Popular tradition holds there were three—Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. But there is also a tradition of a fourth wise man, named Artaban. As Artaban prepared to set out and follow the star, he took with him a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl of great price as gifts to the newborn King. On his way to join the other wise men, Artaban stopped to care for a sick traveler. If he stayed to help, however, he would miss the rendezvous with his friends. He stayed, and the delay caused him to miss the departure of the caravan. Now Artaban was alone and he needed transportation and supplies to cross the desert. So he sold the sapphire to purchase camels and supplies, although it saddened him that he King would never have this precious gem. He journeyed onward and reached Bethlehem, but again he was too late. There were soldiers everywhere to carry out Herod’s command that the male children should be slain. Artaban took the brilliant ruby to bribe the captain and save the children in the village where he stayed. Children were saved, mothers rejoiced; but the ruby, also, would not reach the King. For 33 years Artaban searched in vain and finally found his way to Jerusalem on the day several crucifixions were to take place. Artaban hurried toward Calvary in order to bribe the Roman guard with the precious pearl and save a man called Jesus, for something told him he was the King of kings he has searched for so long. Just then, a young woman who was being dragged along the street toward the slave market, called out to Artaban, pleading for help. With only a slight hesitation, he gave the last jewel, the pearl of a great price, for her ransom. Now all of the jewels he had intended to present to the King were gone. Reaching the place where the crucifixions were to take place, he was broken hearted when he saw there was nothing he could do to help Jesus. But then something remarkable happened. Jesus looked down toward Artaban and said, “Don’t be brokenhearted, you’ve been helping Me all of your life. When I was hungry, you gave Me food. When I was thirsty, you gave Me drink. When I was naked, you clothed Me. When I was a stranger, you took Me in.” Some say Artaban never found Christ. Others say he was the wisest of the wise men.
The Gospels do not tell us how many wise men, or magi, journeyed to Bethlehem following the star. Popular tradition holds there were three—Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. But there is also a tradition of a fourth wise man, named Artaban. As Artaban prepared to set out and follow the star, he took with him a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl of great price as gifts to the newborn King. On his way to join the other wise men, Artaban stopped to care for a sick traveler. If he stayed to help, however, he would miss the rendezvous with his friends. He stayed, and the delay caused him to miss the departure of the caravan. Now Artaban was alone and he needed transportation and supplies to cross the desert. So he sold the sapphire to purchase camels and supplies, although it saddened him that he King would never have this precious gem. He journeyed onward and reached Bethlehem, but again he was too late. There were soldiers everywhere to carry out Herod’s command that the male children should be slain. Artaban took the brilliant ruby to bribe the captain and save the children in the village where he stayed. Children were saved, mothers rejoiced; but the ruby, also, would not reach the King. For 33 years Artaban searched in vain and finally found his way to Jerusalem on the day several crucifixions were to take place. Artaban hurried toward Calvary in order to bribe the Roman guard with the precious pearl and save a man called Jesus, for something told him he was the King of kings he has searched for so long. Just then, a young woman who was being dragged along the street toward the slave market, called out to Artaban, pleading for help. With only a slight hesitation, he gave the last jewel, the pearl of a great price, for her ransom. Now all of the jewels he had intended to present to the King were gone. Reaching the place where the crucifixions were to take place, he was broken hearted when he saw there was nothing he could do to help Jesus. But then something remarkable happened. Jesus looked down toward Artaban and said, “Don’t be brokenhearted, you’ve been helping Me all of your life. When I was hungry, you gave Me food. When I was thirsty, you gave Me drink. When I was naked, you clothed Me. When I was a stranger, you took Me in.” Some say Artaban never found Christ. Others say he was the wisest of the wise men.
3 comments:
Oh, to be the hands and feet of Jesus! Little did I know that day when I purchased a little devotion book that it would touch you and then in turn through you sharing the story of the Fourth Wise Man with us in your blog that we would get to hear this story and go out and be like that Fourth Wise Man to a lost, hurting, and dying world! Thanks and back at you!
Amen...and thanks for that book!
O I love that story,it reminded me that; it's not the sapphires, rubys and pearls that do his work for his kingdom,but it's just plain old us he needs and wants to carry out the needs and show his love while we are in this world. How it humbles my heart to hear from someone that says,"Thanks for calling to me today, you made my day". I hope I'm Artaban to someone as I journey toward this Christmas.
Post a Comment