Christmas
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Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? Part 1
This is the question the magi from the East asked King Herod, the crowned King of the Jews. That magi, AKA wise men, asked King Herod that question is almost laughable. Essentially, they were asking this Roman figurehead, “Where’s the real king?” Then again, they didn’t have the internet. Perhaps they didn’t realize how dangerous it was to ask this question to a man who executed three of his own sons to hang on to power. Although Herod had the title of the King of the Jews, he wasn’t even of Jewish descent. He was an Idumean, an Edomite, an enemy of Israel. The Roman decision to make him king…
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The Tower of the Flock – Feroze’s Story
Shaking my head in disbelief, I stared at this ragtag cluster of lean-tos, huts, and shanties. Was it truly home to the King of the Jews? But as we hesitated, the light of the star grew in intensity, and it pulsed as if impatient for us to get moving. I looked at my companions, and we were of one mind. We didn’t understand, but we were in the right place. No doubt in our minds. Ihsan had fallen to his knees in worship. “Ihsan,” I said. “Let’s go. You can worship at the feet of the King of Kings.” My son Jamshid wrapped me in a tight embrace and breathed,…
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An Often Overlooked Prophecy
(This was originally posted in 2021.) As we move into the Christmas season, I am reminded of a question I’ve had about Jesus’s birth since I was a little girl. It always bothered me that Jesus was born among a bunch of smelly animals and laid in a feed trough. The standard answer I received when I asked why Jesus wasn’t better provided for was that God chose a humble place to be born, showing he could empathize with the poor and downtrodden. Maybe that made some sense, but it just wasn’t a very satisfying answer. I had this nagging irritation that I kept shoved down, unwilling to openly criticize…
