Bring Him Gifts

Bringing gifts to our Lord is not just a Christmas thing.  It should be a life-long thing.

Text for Today – Matthew 2:10-11 – When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

While the date on which we celebrate the birth of Jesus in the earth is now several months past, our hearts are still often drawn to the events surrounding His birth about which we have read so often.  As I child, I would wonder with awe at three wise men coming across a desert to bring precious gifts to baby Jesus.  Then I became a man, and while my understanding of the events related in our text today has changed, and I believe accurately so, my wonder and awe has only increased. 

First, I put aside the thoughts all the pictures had created in my mind that there were only three wise men.  I believe there were many more than three.  I know they brought three kinds of gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  But that does not limit the number of wise men who came to see Jesus.  The Scriptures indicate that their coming put all of Jerusalem in an uproar.  How many stretch limousines would have to come through you town at one time to put the whole town on edge?  Think about it.  It would certainly take more than three in my home town.

Then consider the gifts they brought to Jesus; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The Father God knew Jesus would soon have to go to Egypt for His safety, and that later He would be brought back to Nazareth where He would grow to manhood and enter His ministry.  The gold the wise men brought took care of immediate needs.  The frankincense and myrrh could be easily transported, much lighter than gold, and yet worth much money by which Jesus and His family would have to live.  The frankincense took care of them upon their arrival in Egypt, and the myrrh could easily be stored for sale upon their return to Nazareth where they would have to set up housekeeping.

All that was at His first coming.  Well, He’s coming again, and that right soon.  There’s still much to be done in the building of His kingdom in this earth.  Wise men still seek Him.  As a vessel of honor today, make yourself totally and completely available to Him for His glory and use.  As a sweet smelling savor, make yourself and your prayers available to Him that He might direct their use and multiply their effectiveness.  Let us prepare ourselves in readiness for His soon coming, and when we see Him, we, too, will rejoice with exceeding great joy.

Manna for Today – Romans 12:1-3; Malachi 3:16-18