Matthew 2:1-2, 11-12
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, a Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship Him’”…
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
From the very moment of His birth, Jesus was recognized as King. Shepherds searched to find the baby the Angel spoke about and when finding Him they fell down to worship the Babe in a manger. Wise men came from afar, following the star to search for the King and, after their long journey, they located Jesus in Bethlehem. They presented their gifts in worship and honor of this newborn King; each one of the three gifts conveyed a message and represented an aspect of who Jesus is and the mission He was to fulfill:
• Gold: represents royalty. They knew that the star in the sky was a sign of a spectacular birth, the birth of a King.
• Frankincense: was highly valued and rare; it represents the divinity of Jesus.
• Myrhh: was extremely valuable as a perfume and was reserved for special occasions, most often for burials; it represents the fact that Jesus was born to die.
What are you searching for this Christmas? For comfort after loss? For a sense of joy in the Lord that you have been missing lately? Are you searching for answers to life’s challenges? For your purpose in life? For real peace and joy that only come from a relationship with Jesus? In Jeremiah 29:13, we are told, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” God has given us a roadmap in that search for Jesus; it is as simple as turning to Christ with a seeking heart, and placing your faith and trust in for your salvation. Search for the King, dear reader, and He will be found!
Father, for those who are searching, may they find the answers in Your Son, Jesus, this Christmas. For those of us who have found Him, let us bow down to worship Jesus, our Lord of Lords and King of Kings. And what gift can we offer in worship and honor of this King? Let us give Him our hearts. Amen.
~ painting by David Cooke
