Advent Devotional: Thursday, December 12, 2024

December 12, 2024

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” Matthew 2:1-2

Illustrated by Savannah Brown (Age 10)

In order to pay tuition for medical school I received a scholarship from the U.S. Navy. Therefore, after graduation and a year of internship, I went on active duty as a Medical Officer. My first tour of duty was as the ship’s doctor on USS Detroit, a large supply ship carrying oil and ammunition to other ships in the Sixth Fleet. I joined the crew in the Mediterranean Sea and served aboard for a year.

One of the friendships I developed that year was with LTJG Mike Shaw. Mike and I were about the same age, were at sea for the first time, and separated from our loved ones for the duration of a six-month long deployment. Detroit was underway at sea almost continually that summer as the work tempo for supply ships is intense, whether during peacetime or war. Mike was a “line officer” which meant he was responsible for directing the ship for four-hour cycles of “watch” along with several other officers every day around the clock.

During periods of cruising, I enjoyed meeting with Mike on the bridge of the ship in the evening, when we could share stories about our lives, career aspirations, and particularly our loved ones. As we stood together on the bridge wing, under the stars looking out at the ocean in the darkness, it soon struck me how magnificent was the view of the sky above.

In the midst of the ocean at night, with no ambient light from land, you see an astounding abundance of stars. Thousands! Some are bright, some are quite dim; but most impressive to me was just how many celestial bodies there are. We can rarely appreciate this vastness when we are on dry land. As Mike and I stood there in awe, it struck us just how massive was the cosmos. More importantly, however, it served as a reminder of the presence of God, looking over us on Earth, and of how He used a star to point out the birth of his son Jesus some two thousand years ago.

As we prepare for Advent and the birth of Jesus, let us be mindful of the love that God has for us on Earth as well as his authority over all the heavens, even beyond our understanding. Mike is no longer with us, having passed a few years ago. However, I often think of him as I look to the heavens and admire the magnificence of God.

Dearest God, as we await the birth of your son, Jesus, again this year, let us be always conscious of the power you exhibit over the heavens and please know how grateful we are for your constant love. In the name of Jesus, we pray.