Dan
The letter of Jude contains a warning about troublemakers who are trying to cause a division in the church by speaking poorly of church leaders and following after their own desires. I love the way Jude uses wandering stars to describe these troublemakers:
They are… “wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.” -Jude 13b, NRSV
Stars are supposed to shine bright and help guide people to their destination. We have used stars for direction as long as we can remember. The Wise Men used a star to guide them to the baby Jesus. If stars are producing light, they attract people who study them and use them for guidance. Christians are very much like stars. If we shine the light of Jesus, others will see, study, and follow the light that we present to them.
But wandering stars have no true direction. Left to their present course, they will be consumed by eternal darkness. A wandering star is not only a danger to itself, but to others as well, because it will lead people who follow into darkness with it. It is important that people follow the right stars, and not a star that is wandering from the truth.
May God grant that my light shine true and straight, and protect me from the wiles of wandering stars!
God is light! Good article…I fit the wondering star some time I have to confess. I will try to do better.
@Steve: Me too, Steve. I think everyone can relate to wandering star syndrome.
Are we being warned about you, Dan?
@Bennie: Absolutely. I’ve been known to succumb to wandering star syndrome. Remember at Candler when we should have been studying, and I would convince everyone we needed to go eat at a restaurant somewhere instead?
troublemaker
What an excellent metaphor and post! Thanks for calling attention to it! Wow
Thanks, Scott. It is amazing how that metaphor has kept me thinking this week. I want to be the best example for Christ that I can be!
[…] already written a post on wandering stars… I will be thinking about and writing more about these other metaphors as well. They are deep […]
I’ve been having dreams, more like nightmares of a spirit voice telling me i’m going to die.. It really scares me cuz ofcourse nobody wants to hear those things.. But the more I search out the meanings I realize my spirit guide is letting me me know what my soul is going through!! Last night I had a dream- vision and my spirit guide told me I was going to be uprooted like the tree and die, and I saw this huge tree being uprooted and then he showed me the same with a church being uprooted. I struggle with my life, my sins and negative friends/co-workers that surround me who are not Christians and don’t understand me! As much as I try to keep the peace or stay away from them, I am constantly caught up in the middle of their schemes and trouble-making.. I would have to move away or quit my job to be set free from this hold that is tormenting my soul! will read the book of Jude tonight! Bless.
It is only me to blame! My sins and my guilty conscience.. I have just read the book of Jude and realize that my own misunderstanding of thinking I can go on sinning as long as I keep asking for forgiveness.. I guess I have been taking what Jesus did for me at the cross for granted! But I am confused, how do we just stop being sinners? And is it even possible? And even if I turn from my biggest sin that is tarring at my heart and soul.. Won’t I end up with another sin tarring at the surface to deal with? Do I just work through them until I am perfect? Could I ever be perfect enough or just good enough?? Torn up!
Hi Lisa,
I honor your struggle. It is one that all Christians share, and I think you are coming to a very special realization: No matter how hard we try, we are not good enough. Never can be. Never will be. Not by ourselves. We need God to make us good enough.
It is difficult to keep your roots firm to the ground when there is so much chaos and distraction around you. Wrap your roots firmly around the foundation of Jesus Christ and build from there. Take Jude verses 20 and following as encouragement and suggestions on how you might treat those around you. You have encouraged me to make an additional post on Jude… it is coming momentarily 🙂
God bless you!
My struggle.. To have the courage and strength to walk away from this life of sin i’ve been living.. I hear God telling me “The time is now, leave it all behind!” But the fear of walking away from what i’ve known and been comfortable with for the last decade and moving forward in the unknown and uncertainty is what’s been holding me back! I’m at that crossroad.. Matthew 16:24. I am the lost sheep living in the pig pen.