"Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!" and Try Not to Eat Baby Jesus...

 

    Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

    King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

    “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

            ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of                    Judah,  for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

    Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

    After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

    When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. (Matthew 2:1-12 - NLT)

"Let the good times roll!" is the rallying cry this time of the year down South. Even though most people equate Mardi Gras with New Orleans and debauchery, drunkeness, gluttony, and all manner of sins the truth of the matter is that Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) finds its origins in Mobile, Alabama (which was a Louisianna port city to begin with) and has some of the most interesting customs and traditions.

As newbies to the Gulf Coast and all things Mardi Gras, we were fascinated by one custom which we had never heard about...the King Cake. If you see the pic above you will notice the colors, the texture, the sugar (can you actually see that or just imagine it?!), and of course, the attempt to be the one who finds the "baby Jesus" in the cake and therefore win a prize.

Be careful NOT to bite into baby Jesus though...he's actually plastic.

Find the baby Jesus. Win the prize.

When we read the birth narratives of Jesus in both accounts of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament we find people looking for him. 

In Luke, the shepherds make their way in the middle of the night (abandoning their posts we might add) to locate this One whose birth the messengers of heaven told them of. They find him and his family and go throughout the region celebrating and telling everyone about their experience. 

Find Jesus. Tell everyone about it.

Then there are the wise men from the Orient whom Matthew recounts for us. The magi, who have been journeying up to two years while following some celestial light which guided them to a particular home, find Mom and the toddler Jesus and simply lay down invaluable gifts at his feet and then go back home. A different way, of course, but back home.

Find Jesus. Give him everything.

From Joseph and Mary "losing" Jesus on a family trip, to a short man with the crazy name of Zaccheus climbing a tree, people across the gospel writings were constantly trying to find Jesus. Even whole crowds would run to find him.

And still today, people are trying to find Jesus. They are looking to TV preachers. They are hopping from church to church. They are scrolling through their social media. They are even picking up books on spirituality. They are downloading apps on their phones to read daily devotionals.

Find Jesus. All of my problems will go away.

And yet, through it all, the greatest of all ironies is that Jesus is actually looking for you.

Jesus is looking for us. 

As a shepherd would do everything within their power to find the one, scraggly, forgotten, neglected and lost sheep...so the Good Shepherd Jesus does for us. 

But, what does that mean? 

Although there is no better example of this than when we look in the mirror (hint, hint) perhaps we can see what this means in the life of one former slave trader, John Newton. 

Almost dying on a sea voyage Newton was saved on that perilous journey and it was a redeeming and resolute moment in his life. He eventually would frame his "being found by Jesus" in his epic poem Amazing Grace. 

The words are self-explanatory. And they explain what happens when Jesus finds us.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we've first begun. 

Jesus finds us. Grace finds us. Good finds us. 

Indeed, let the "good" times roll...