CARLA MCDOUGAL ON THE "MERRY CHRISTMAS GIVER" STORY OF THE WISE MEN!

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

www.reflectivelifeministries.org

FRIDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS INSPIRATION BY CATHERINE FRUISEN

 FANTASY CHRISTMAS

If I could, I would change a few thing that happen in my life every year near the end of December.

In my Christmas fantasy, there are no expectations. Gifts are optional. I don't have to spend money I don't have on junk that no one needs. Each guest in my home is happy to receive a cup of instant cocoa, the fancy kind, and a warm Christmas chat at the kitchen table. I shamelessly offer store-bought gingerbread men as I light a gingerbread-sented candle, to the delight of everyone in attendance. Children applaud, even though they prefer chocolate chip.

There is lovely music playing in the background and joyful lights on the tree, which is topped by a star, not a sparkly snowflake or non-representational sculpture or plaid-clad Victorian angel. (Since when do angels wear green and red plaid?) In my opinion, this is plenty of heavenly ambiance, and everyone agrees. No one is disappointed by the lack of bling. Our crèche, nestled under the tree, is not overpowered by towers of wrapped boxes. Gifts, when given, are from the heart. They are understated and, as previously mentioned, entirely optional. No gift is considered inadequate. No one is allowed to ask, "Did you save the receipt?" And no one feels slighted if he or she is overlooked by someone in the group. This applies to everyone from rarely seen members of my extended family to my closest friends and relatives.

ILLUSTRATOR/AUTHOR
CATHERINE FRUISEN

Attendance at this well mannered love fest is also optional. My Dad does not coerce my angry atheist brother to attend. My brother, should he opt to ride across the country with my parents to join us, would never dream of insisting that my financially-strapped father foot the bill for a hotel room for him, and subsequently chauffeur him fifteen miles back and forth across town every day, so that he doesn't have to sleep on our couch or rent a car. The hotel is welcome in my fantasy; after all, my folks are in the guest room, and the house is crowded. But at forty-three years of age, my gainfully employed brother's unwillingness to pay his own way, is not.

Pressure from out-of-town in-laws to drive six hours each way on jam packed, dangerous roads for a holiday visit is forbidden as well. In my Christmas fantasy, former victims of childhood abuse like my husband are not required to cross state lines to make polite conversation and pretend that everything is okay, while inwardly having to clobber demons they've been dodging for decades. Christmas should be a break from that mess, not a doorway into it.

On the surface, my fantasy looks pretty good. I can justify every bit of it, all the way 'round. There's one big problem though: it is selfish. The truth is, once a girl enlists in God's army, her focus at Christmas (just like every other day of the year) must turn outward. December is a spiritually charged month. Churches fill up as the year draws to a close, and calendars are crowded with social engagements. Many of us will spend time with rarely-seen family members who have little to no idea of the true meaning of Christmas. Opportunites to serve and shine for Christ abound. My prayer this year is that I'll do a better job than I have in the past. God, help me love these people—even the one who spilled the home-brewed beer he brought as a "gift"on the rug, and hid the spot with my favorite velvet pillow.

If, like me, you are a closeted holiday-hater, take heart: you are not alone. Despite what you may think, dysfunction is normal. Every family is weird, each in its own way. Take it from a prayer counselor who has been on the receiving end of multitudes of surprising stories from people who look as if everything in their lives is pulled together. It's not. Life rarely looks like a Hallmark made-for-TV-movie. For many of us, having to face our families is not easy. Set proper boundaries, get prayed up, and rely on God to protect you and to work through you in your situation. He won't let you down.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

(Illustration and article by Catherine Fruisen of Resisting Gravity)