Meeting on those steps each day had become more than a routine for Opis, but something he had come to look so forward to. The opportunity for him to again share his story, and as he did, to have those days play again so vividly in his mind. As Rufus joined him on the steps, Opis quickly picked up where he had left off.
“I remember being awakened that night, Rufus, to the sound of Balthazar and to other voices. In hearing their words, the Lord God had appeared to them in their dreams(Matthew 2:12), showing them the true heart of Herod, and how he looked to do nothing but use and manipulate them. Making it very clear, Herod did not look to worship the Child, but to destroy the Child, seeing nothing but a threat in Him. In this dream the Lord directed them to not go back through Jerusalem, but to take a different route home, one that avoided Herod altogether.”
As Opis continued, you could see the smile forming on his face. “I can still remember the excitement as we arose that next day. An excitement surrounded our camp as you could hear the pure joy in the shouts of the Magi, as they prepared for the miracle the day would soon hold. And as if orchestrated with perfection, you could hear them speaking of seeing this star again guiding and directing them(Matthew 2:10), showing them the location of the hope that would soon make this whole journey worthwhile. Only six, short miles south now separated us from the King. And as we began to take our first steps, I still remember the words Balthazar spoke to me. ‘Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.’(Psalm 43:5). ‘The Lord has brought us here with a purpose, and will now guide us these last few steps as He sees that purpose so perfectly fulfilled.’”
Opis continued. “For those next miles on this journey, I took to heart each of those words for the first time. Realizing, for the very first time, where I now found myself was not nearing the end of a journey, but in reality making my first few steps on the journey of a lifetime. I could feel just how real the Lord God was, and it was as if I could feel His presence there with me, taking each step right beside me. I do not fully understand it then, but what I felt for each step of those six miles was what I would feel again on the Day of Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit came to fill me. It was Him walking that path that day with me, and with each of those steps, I came to realize that it was a new King I now was being called to serve.”
As Opis fought back the tears, he spoke again with a quivering voice to Rufus. “In the time of my thoughts, we found our way to Bethlehem, and quickly stood in front of a plain, simple house in the middle of this ordinary town. But as I looked up, ordinary was the furthest thing from what I saw. As the sun stood in the sky shining bright, another light was shining even brighter. A star in the daylight, shining directly on this simple house that now stood in front of us. It was at that moment, that I first saw what the Magi had been seeing. And I stood in awe, I found myself filled with that joy, truly consumed by it to the point that all I wanted to do was shout, even in the presence of my silence.”
Opis again fought back the tears. “As a few of us made our way into the home, I remember so vividly seeing this young mother holding her small boy in her arms. And as I looked at them, this small child, this toddler of a boy, locked eyes with me, and suddenly He smiled at me. It was at that moment that I knew, truly knew, that I was looking into the very eyes of the Lord God. And as myself, a grown man stood in front of him, it was I that suddenly felt so small.”
Looking up through the tears at Rufus, Opis told him. “Within that moment, my knees became weaker than the strength of my body, and without even realizing it, I found myself on my knees before Him(Matthew 2:11). As I looked up again, I saw Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior laying the three gifts they had brought with them at His feet. And as they presented each gift to Him, all that Balthazar had been saying to me, so lovingly teaching me on each mile of this journey, began to make perfect sense. As they opened the gold, before me shone His majesty. As they opened the frankincense, I could smell the pleasing fragrance of His intercession. And as the myrrh was presented to Him, I understood for the first time what it meant for Him to be that Sacrificial Lamb.”
Composing himself again, Opis spoke. “In the blur of those few moments we were there, I began to see all with perfect clarity. In laying those three gifts at His feet, I realized that I had looked on the face of my King, I had stared in the eyes of Heaven’s Child, and I had stood in the presence of my Lord and Savior. And at that moment it hit me. Those who seek Him will find HIm, those who find Him will greatly desire to worship Him, and those who worship Him will lay their all in front of Him.”
As the hustle and bustle of the city filled all around them, the quiet of the moment was all that Rufus and Opis could hear. And after what felt like an eternity of silence, Opis again began to speak. “Telling this, the joy of remembering this, has drained the energy from me, my son. I know you must have endless questions, but I now really need to rest. I can tell you though, my story is far from finished, actually it is only beginning. And if you wish, I will gladly meet you here again tomorrow to tell you how it all ends.”
I hope you will join us next as Opis tells Rufus, and all of us, just how this amazing story ends.
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