After Jesus Was Born, Wise Men Came!

On this first day of 2011, I was reading and meditating on the magi's visit in Matthew, chapter two, and thought I would share a few insights into a lesson that, I think, their example can teach us.  When the Christmas season is over, there is still a Savior to be worshiped! These wise men were from the east,( and we don't know the number and there is much speculation about who they were,) and I imagine it was a large caravan, traveling probably thousands of miles to see Jesus, now a young Child in the house with His mother, Mary. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy," and when they "saw the Child, they fell down and worshiped Him."

After the tree is down and put back in the attic, the house returns to "normal", there remains gifts to be offered. The wise men brought gold, representing kingship. An Episcopalian minister from Pennsylvania, John Hopkins wrote a song in the 1800's called We Three Kings and although the title is probably not accurate, the verses, I believe, represent the truth. Listen to the words of the one concerning the gift, gold. "Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign." Of frankincense, the writer says:" Frankincense to offer have I : incense owns a Deity nigh; prayer and praising, all men raising, worship Him, God on high."  And then to the gift that maybe Mary and Joseph pondered about was myrrh which was used at death. "Myrrh is mine: its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom: sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb."  But, not for long, Hallelujah!!

The application for me as I studied and prayed this January 1st, 2011, is to worship and focus on my Savior and my King this day. You thought I would say this year, didn't you? That is a lesson I am learning the past few years with a body that wakes up more weary than not- that I can live today- not tomorrow nor this year because tomorrow or this year may or may not be mine. Someone said we should take life off in bite-sized chunks and I believe that is Biblical as our Lord instructed "Take therefore no thought for the morrow:... and then James put it like this: " Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  The old saying that "wise men still seek Him!" is so applicable for us today. I rejoice that He came seeking and saving us and we now have the blessed privilege of worshiping Him for Who He is. I want to know Him better because when we know Who He is, we cannot but help to love and trust Him more! I want to take the gifts that He so graciously has given one so undeserving and offer them back to Him- not to gain favor- that has been freely bestowed because of His grace- but as Paul exhorted, I want to "walk worthy of the vocation, wherewith ye are called."

He is my King, He is Deity, and He died for a hell-bound sinner like this lady writer and He deserves my all, does He not?   Lastly, from the magi's example, I want to walk a different way today and will when I worship and give myself to Him. King Herod had instructed them to let him know when they found the King of the Jews so he could also come and worship Him. Of course, he had no intention of doing so because he was greatly agitated at the thought of  competition and wanted to kill the Holy Child. The wise men went another way and the king was so enraged that he had all the baby boys who were two years and younger killed. Saints, there is a Savior to be worshiped, gifts to be offered, and a world system to be denounced and denied. Now, I know, that this point is very unpopular in this present culture and I guess, in truth, always has been.  Romans 12:1-2 is still in the Bible instructing us to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed as we keep our gaze horizontally and not vertically at every passing whim and fancy that shouts at us. This world's system and my flesh will not aid me in my journey to know my King, to offer my gifts and to seek those things which are above, the eternal perspective that our Pastor reminds us of so often.  In my life, I know, and am reasonably sure in yours also, that there is still work and the exciting part is that He has promised to complete it. Even our desire to walk a different way(just as the wise men followed God's instruction) is a work of God's grace in our hearts. Isn't He a wonderful Savior and Lord?

Let me close, dear Reader, by reminding you that I pray for you and desire your prayers for me. We don't know what the year 2011 holds but we know Who holds 2011!  Maybe it will be the year we see Him face to face- I don't know- but I do know this- He is worthy of our worship, our offering of our gifts, and our refusing to love this world system that is opposed to our King and all that is good.

May we all have a Christ-filled New Year!

Seeking His Face, Deborah