REFLECTIONS

Wanderin’ Star

Ben Rumson sloshes down a muddy street assessing his life. He recalls the lessons learned as a prospector wandering along life’s roads that led him to a place called No Name City.

The scene from the 1969 movie, Paint Your Wagon, features the song title, Wanderin’ Star, that reached number one on the charts that year. Ben, played by the rugged-faced and deep-voiced actor, Lee Marvin, explains in song, “I was born under a wanderin’ star,” in the belief that he was born to wander through life with little aim and no purpose. Nothing in his life had ever worked out. In the beginning, he won the girl, but lost her in the end. He left home to pursue his dreams only to face difficult times, and his only good fortune was that his dreams hadn’t come true.

Wanderin’. We’ve all done that at least some time in our lives—wanderin’ the roads Ben traveled with little aim and no meaningful purpose; the roads that lead to muddy streets in places like No Name City. As the old adage says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Most of us have followed some wanderin’ star with little understanding of what we are living for. But God does.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. And don’t you suspect God knew we would follow that wanderin’ star along our way.

The wanderin’ star may have led us to places like No Name City; but God has a plan for each of us. Our journeys, though different, have likely taken us down paths of righteousness, caused us to lie down in green pastures, and walked us by still waters. It may have led us through the valley of the shadow of death with no fear of evil; and we didn’t even know it all had happened. We didn’t even know the Lord was with us. We didn’t know, that is, until something that brought it all together. In place of the wanderin’ star we found a stable one, the one the Magi followed until they found Jesus Christ.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

But if your life is still wanderin’, look back on the path you’ve traveled. It may have taken you to places you wouldn’t choose to go. But it prepared you for where you are now.

More importantly, wanderin’ prepared you for where God wants you to go next.

You are the light of the world,

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org.

Click here for Printer Friendly Version