Read: Matthew 2:1-12
And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (v. 11)
Sometimes the gifts that mean the most aren’t the ones wrapped in packages.
As a teen, I remember a gift of grace I didn’t deserve. After breaking my parents trust, they acted in faith by giving me another chance rather than disciplining me. Even though I was rebellious, their grace overwhelmed me, and named me “worthy of trust” when I really hadn’t earned it. Their actions showed they believed something they didn’t see that day.
When the Magi appear in Bethlehem, they really have no idea who Jesus is. He has not yet healed any lepers, restored any sight, forgiven any sin, or raised anyone from the dead. We often focus on the riches the Magi bring, yet their worship is perhaps the unexpected, more powerful gift. They hear the call of God and respond with a gift of heart that requires a great leap of faith, a long journey, and discerning hearts.
It must have shocked Mary and Joseph, wary and weary and of humble circumstance, to even meet three powerful foreigners, let alone have them testify to the truth they bear. For God to reveal his plan to Jewish shepherds was one thing; but to these strangers, these Gentiles, it was quite another. Yet, before the Son of God had done anything but make an unorthodox entrance, outsiders name who he most truly is in one simple, profound act. They fall down in worship. A gift of heart that comes before their gifts of treasure.
Prayer: Giver of good gifts, accept our gift of worship as we realize anew what strangers recognized in your advent more than two thousand years ago.
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Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
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