Hitch Your Wagon To A Star

Hitch your wagon to a star...

The phrase to hitch one’s wagon to a star was coined, in reference to idealistic aspirations, by the U.S. poet, essayist and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) in American Civilization, an essay published in The Atlantic Monthly. A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics (Boston (Massachusetts): Ticknor and Fields) of April 1862 [Vol. 9, No. 54, page 505, columns 1 & 2]:

People use it to mean; follow or connect to someone who is rising, headed for goodness or fame, to have high ambition, ideals or purpose. 

But in our Christian walk we are to yoked ourselves to Christ himself.

📖 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

We are "hitching" ourselves, not to a star but Light Himself.

Paul, in speaking to the church of Corinth, addressed the issue of who they wanted to follow. Apparently there was discord over those who felt they should follow Apollos and others to follow Paul. 

📖 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.  For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.  1 Corinthians 3:3-9

Paul said that they had not matured in their faith. They were "hitching their wagons" to the wrong place! 

Apollos, Paul, any of us who are followers of Christ, are servants; planting, watering the seeds of salvation.  We, none of us, make it grow.  None of us can save anyone. We can just spread the word and leave the rest to our Great God!

We need to follow, connect, graft ourselves to the true source of goodness, power and love. 

📖   Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:4-5

🙏🏼Lord, I am nothing apart from you. Remind me daily where to keep my focus, where I need to "hitch my wagon" so that i can accomplish much for You and Your Kingdom. ❤️