Overwhelmed by joy?

     This coming Sunday is Epiphany - the celebration of the arrival of the Magi to worship and pay homage to the new King, baby Jesus.  Contrary to the Christmas Pageant version of the Christmas story, the Magi did not appear the night Jesus was born.  Contrary to all of our Nativity Scenes, the Magi never worshiped the infant Jesus alongside shepherds and cattle.  In fact, the Magi never even saw the stable.
     We read the account traditionally called 'The Wise Men' in Matthew 2.  Notice from reading the account that it never says there were only three - we always have three because they bring three gifts, but there could have been 2 or 100.  It also doesn't say they were 'men'.  Well, in the English it does, but the Greek word is magi, or astrologers and there could have been a woman among them.  At any rate, the Magi arrived and asked the reigning King Herod where the new King was. 
     I happen to be reading the Game of Thrones series right now, and based on how things work in the series, I'm guessing that asking a current king where the future king is, is a bad idea.  And, well, the very act of even asking about this new king strikes fear into the heart of King Herod and the whole of Jerusalem (v 3).  People know that with regime change comes turmoil, unrest, and wars.  And yet should they have been taken off guard by this question?  Even the heavens were shouting the Savior's birth, with a star rising for those with eyes to see.  Apparently Herod and all of Jerusalem weren't too concerned with the signs in the heavens. 
     Even more interesting than the fear of King Herod and all Jerusalem, however, is the journey of these wise men.  Some estimates say that they followed the star for up to two years.  (Which is why King Herod later orders the murder of all infant boys two years and younger in Bethlehem.)  What kept them following?  How did they know it was the star of the King of the Jews?  These are the first people to worship the infant Jesus in Matthew's gospel and they aren't even Jews themselves.  They are from the East, and it is likely they worship their own gods.  Yet they see the star and come.
    They leave home, family, work, and start on this journey.  Following a star to meet a king.  And, according to verse 10, they were 'overwhelmed with joy' when they saw the star had stopped.  In reading this text I am reminded of the scene from The Preacher's Wife where Whitney Houston sings of love and joy.  Wouldn't it be great if all the world could feel a joy like this?  To be overwhelmed with love and joy knowing that the light has come for all people?  That, like the magi who for so long followed and yearned for something finally found it?  When is the last time you were overwhelmed with joy?