“Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, of frankincense, and of myrrh.” Matthew 2:11b, NIV
After bowing down and worshipping Jesus, I knew it was time to present my gift to God’s Son.
Excitement coursed throughout my body as I knelt before the boy, gently lifting my gift from the cloth and gladly giving it to my King. What joy to give my very best gift to the child-King!
His mother’s surprised expression made the giving all the more gratifying. Words can not express how deeply satisfied my soul felt as I surrendered my treasures to Him.
It was only years later, as I sat on the wall at the city gate, where men came to me for wisdom, that I could clearly articulate some of what God had taught me through my experience with Jesus.
When we come before our savior we must:
Bow down: humble myself, acknowledging whom God is, and who I am not.
Worship: Praise Him for who He is and what He has done, and is doing.
Present my treasures: open and offer back the gifts He has wrapped up inside me.
Present them without pride.
Present them with praise to the One who gave them to me.
Present them to further His Kingdom (as the gold, frankincense, and myrrh may have financed the flight to Egypt that saved Jesus’ life.)
Yes the gifts God wrapped inside me must be used for His glory.
It was well worth that long, arduous journey to discover how to live the rest of my life.
When was the last time I waited until after I humbled myself and praised God to carry my gifts and talents to Him, asking Him what He wants me to do with them? These wise men had the wisdom to get the order straight!
Reflections:
What lessons have these wise men taught me about:
Searching for Jesus?
Approaching Jesus?
Worshiping Jesus?
How do I utilize my God-given gifts? Do I humbly use them to glorify God?
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your lessons from the example of these wise men. May I humbly use any gifts You’ve given me to glorify Your name. Amen
Thanks for reading! Please return by Monday, December 28, for the next post!