Good Gifts

Hi Paul,

Every Christmas and birthday you want the same thing…..Lego sets. You are saving your gift money and money you earn to buy…let me guess….a really big Lego set. "Yes!" you shout most of the time when you rip off the wrappings. However, if G-mom tries to substitute in a different brand, then you try to be happy, and you smile with good manners, but I can tell the non-Lego gift just didn’t hit the mark. If we discover the gift doesn’t work or if you already have that set, then back to Walmart it goes. Someday you will realize that the greatest gift anyone will ever, ever, ever get is the gift of being saved that comes through Jesus.

When the wise men followed the star and came right to baby Jesus, they were overjoyed to find him! They had traveled a boo-coo of miles, probably by camel, to find him and they did not come empty handed. Probably the camels were loaded with food, bedding, tents, and other things needed for camping along the trip. We know they brought gifts for the new King…..GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH.  Can you imagine that little baby looking up at the men who stared at him, squirming as best he could, grunting little baby sounds, maybe even making one of those little newborn smiles? The wise men actually fell down and worshipped the baby Jesus.!!

The Bible does not tell us how Mary and Joseph chose to use the very expensive gifts. They may have been sold. Gold, used for money, was probably used when Joseph, Mary and Jesus had to escape from mean King Herod and travel to Egypt. They also needed supplies for living in Egypt until Joseph could manage to earn some money. Frankincense (incense) was something that smelled goooood that was used in worship. Myrrh was also a smell-good (aromatic) item but it was also used as medicine. They could not have returned them to Walmart, so, for certain, they were very important for the family to have. Don’t you just love those wise men who worshipped our Lord and brought him wonderful gifts?

Matthew 2:11 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 presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Perhaps you will pray, “Dear Lord, Thank you very, very much for Jesus coming to earth.”