Twelve Days of Wonder

Day 8 – Quest

Pinterest by Gabriella Marzola

“Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.” — J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Going on an adventure can be extremely exciting. However, what if you are not really sure where you are going? Or worse, what if your quest turns out to be a big disappointment?

Maybe you followed a dream, a hunch, a “star” of your own—only to end up somewhere that felt more confusing than magical.

It is easy to get excited about many things when we have such high expectations. Our own children can’t wait to get up on Christmas morning, because of all the surprises they hope to find. However, that first day back to school might not have the same effect.

Sometimes it pays to set low expectations, because it can result in things going much better than planned. Here in Indiana, our football team was known for being among the worst for decades. The last time Indiana won the Big Ten football title was in 1967 and before that it was in 1945.  However, our remarkable comeback happened on December 6, 2025, defeating Ohio State 13–10 in Indianapolis. Hoosier pride soared higher than ever as we celebrated this amazing accomplishment.

‘It Was Pure Joy’ – Ryan Day Reveals Most Beautiful Moment of His National Championship Win | College Sports Network

The Magi also followed a star, but not to Neverland. Their journey was genuine, lengthy, and full of questions. It might be easy to presume that they were being led to another person of prestige. They believed they were sent on a holy quest, expecting to kneel before a man of honor clothed in authority. However, instead, what they found was a child in a humble setting. We often refer to the Magi as Wise Men. They trusted God, believing He was leading them to greatness—and oh my, there is none greater than this. Christmas is about a baby—God’s baby—who was born and lived a life that was challenging. And yet, He goes beyond all expectations as the Savior of the World.