GIFTS

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Might sound strange, but I’ve been meditating on that today.  I wonder how the magi came up with these exact three.  Can you imagine?  You’re about to set out on a long journey to see the most important person of your life, of anyone’s life.  A King.  A Savior.  Messiah.  And you want to bring Him gifts.  How do you decide?  What do you get the person who not only has everything, but who made everything?

How many would be enough?  Why not add precious jewels and rare silks to the mix?  Why not an entire caravan of riches?  Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Somehow they concluded that that was the right kingly combination.  That would be their offering of worship.

What about us?  Do we give thought to what we could give the King in celebration of His birth?  Or are our thoughts geared toward what He can give us?  Maybe we have a list.  “This Christmas would be really blessed if I could receive this, this, and this…”  Maybe gold and perfume are even on our list.

Nothing wrong with gifts.  Certainly, God delights to bless us.  But I can’t help but ponder the truth that He’s already blessed me with the best gift possible.  What could top Jesus’ coming to earth and dying for me?  In Him I have forgiveness of sin and eternal life.  In Him I am a new creation.  In Him I have “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

If Jesus has given me everything, seems fitting that in celebration of His birth, like the magi, my thoughts should be consumed with what I can give Him.  A few things come to mind.  I want to give Him an offering:

Of self

Of obedience

Of giving to others

Of living unashamed

The funny thing is… I can only give Him these things because of yet another gift He’s given me—His grace.

At Christmastime, do you tend to focus on what you’d like to receive?  Or do you focus on giving?  Ever think of a gift you’d like to give Jesus at Christmas?