9-16-2026 | Is the Worship of Jesus worth the Trip?
“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him… Then, being divinely warned in a dream… they departed for their own country another way.” - (Matthew 2:10–12).
The wise men didn’t stumble into Christmas worship by convenience. They traveled.… They arranged schedules…. They carried gifts…. They navigated distance.. uncertainty.. and cost… because something in them was already settled…. He is worth it!!!
Christmas can make worship feel like an “extra” something we fit in if the roads are clear and the day goes smoothly…. But the story of the Magi quietly confronts us all year… because real worship most often requires movement….
Sometimes worship is a drive across town…. Sometimes it’s stepping into a church when you’re tired…. Sometimes it’s showing up with grief still heavy... or walking into a living room with family tension... choosing peace and prayer anyway…. In every case… the question becomes the same….
Is Jesus worth the trip from where I am to where He is honored?
The wise men teach us that the “trip” is never just about miles… it’s about the heart…. They didn’t come to admire a holiday... They came to bow before a King…. And when they arrived... they didn’t offer leftover energy…. They offered treasures…. Their worship had weight.
And notice the last line… they “departed another way.” …. That’s what happens when worship is real…. You might come to Jesus one way… stressed... distracted... numb... bitter... hurried…. but you don’t leave unchanged…. Worship rearranges you…. It points you back home with a new direction… a new humility... a new joy.
So yes…. He is worth the trip…. Worth the effort…. Worth the early alarm…. Worth the courage to show up…. Worth the sacrifice of pride…. Worth the surrender of control…. Because you’re not traveling toward an event… you’re drawing near to the Savior who traveled all the way to you.
Heart check…
What “trip” is God asking you to take this year…. Physically… emotionally… or spiritually?
What gift (time, attention, repentance, gratitude, generosity) can you intentionally bring to Jesus?
- What might it look like for you to “go home another way” after worshiping Him?