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| CARLA MCDOUGAL |
And when they had 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 presentedgifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:1
And when they had 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 presentedgifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11
The Christmas season is the time of year we focus on Jesus, the Savior of the world, coming to earth as a babe. His humble entrance changed the future forever! God, in the flesh, bringing hope to a world filled with corruption, chaos and moral decay. In the little town of Bethlehem during the utter confusion of the census Jesus' birth silently swept in like a wintery snow.
Questions arise about this historic account...
- How did the word get out about the Messiah's arrival?
- Why did God send Jesus at such a chaotic time?
- Are you kidding me... an unsanitary stable with hay, animals and GERMS?
- Why did the wise men bring gold, frankincense, an myrrh? Why didn't they bring blankets, baby clothes and rattlers?
Let's tackle this last questions. Imagine the wise men just doing their thing... being wise. All of a sudden, they notice a Star beaming in the East. In all their wisdom and knowledge of scripture they recall Numbers 24:17, "A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab and destroy all the sons of tumult." These men didn't sit around contemplating the situation. They moved into action. With little time to waste they headed to the East, following the Star. Imagine their journey. Possibly they were singing songs of praise or contemplating what they would say first. With every step their hearts beat faster and faster. Keeping their eyes on the Star they land in the town of Bethlehem. They realize the Star is beaming its brilliant light on a meek home. The pounding of their excitement resembles their knock on the door. As it opens tender tears pour. Their eyes focus on the toddler who is with his mother. They can't contain themselves any longer. The Messiah, their Yeshua humbly standing in the midst them. In unison run toward the child and fall on their knees before Him in worship and praise. In a moments notice they begin digging into their bags. One by one they laid their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh at the feet of Jesus - their long awaited King! Tears puddle beneath them. Physically weary yet energized spiritually they leave this humble abode to return home. Wow, what a trip back that must have been!
Why did they choose these three gifts? This is an Awe-Ha moment...
Gold symbolized Royalty (The King of the Jews)
Frankincense was a Fragrance (Used in the Temple-rep Priesthood)
Myrrh was an Ointment of Death (Prophesying Jesus' Death)
God had it all planned out. He directed the Wise Men perfectly not only with the Star, but with the perfect gifts! Through these gifts God provided Joseph and Mary the financial resources needed to flee to Egypt, escaping the wrath of Herod. Their God, their son's Father, meeting the needs ahead of time!
Challenge this Christmas Season... May this Christmas be one you will remember as life changing. Not because of the gifts you receive or places you go, but one that embeds a deeper desire for a relationship with Jesus. Maybe the most precious gift you can give someone is the Gift of Prayer! The beautiful thing about this is it is the gift that keeps on giving. Let's call it The Merry Christmas Giver!
From My Heart to yours,
Carla McDougal
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