Have you been party to a secret meeting? Was it exciting and exhilarating to be part of? Was the meeting to plan a surprise party? Or was it to plan a trick on someone? Have you been in a secret meeting when you thought the leader was up to something other than what they said?
Secret meetings can be exhilarating. Especially if they are to plan a surprise party for someone. There is a lot of excitement, joviality, and energy. Being part of that kind of secret meeting gives us energy. That energy may carry over for several days.
On the other hand, secret meetings that discuss things not commonly known can seem to be out of place. If one party appears to be a little shady or wary or sneaky, the meeting can feel off. We may be wondering if it is just us who feel that way or did someone else notice it.
King Herod met with the wise men secretly to tell them where to find the infant Messiah. After their earlier meeting, when the wise men asked where He was to be born, King Herod met with the Jewish leaders to find out. He then met with the wise men in secret to tell them where and to instruct them to search thoroughly for Him. King Herod also instructed them to come back to report to him where they found Him. His sneaky little lie was that he wanted to go worship Him.
I wonder if the wise men had caught on and if they discussed it among themselves. If they did, they didn’t fully understand what Herod intended nor the extent of his ruthlessness. How do we know that? God intervened in a dream to tell them to return home a different way. God does that when someone intends to thwart his plan. He intervenes.
I pray we all seek to follow God’s plan. I pray we learn the lesson the wise men learned. I pray we see through the lies and half-truths others speak as they lay plans to undermine God’s plan. Follow God’s plan. Be watchful. See when others are being sneaky. Ask God to help you see through the lies.
Matthew 2:7-8 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
Marty Pressey 