SHARING BREAD
9 After
they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in
the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child
was. 10 When
they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 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 and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to
Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matt 2:9-12 (NIV)
How miraculously and graciously the
hand of God directed these Magi – in Shekinah like glory – through the reappearance
of the star which they had previously seen and followed in the east – leading
them directly to the Christ Child. How
joyful they were in God’s leading – the signs of God’s favor and presence
cannot help but fill us with great joy and peace. I am reminded of God’s Word to Joshua (as
well as to all who love Him):
9 “Have
I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God
will be with you wherever you go.” Josh
1:9 (NIV)
“Success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils rejoicing in his God has success guaranteed.” Charles Spurgeon
We should be glad for everything and
everyone that points us to Christ – directing us to things above rather than
earthly things. Paul tells us our minds
and hearts should be focused upward:
1 Since,
then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where
Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Col 3:1-2 (NIV)
There is also continual joy in God’s
presence. I am reminded of King David’s
words in Psalm 16:
11 You
have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your
presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalms 16:11 (NIV)
God enabled these wise men to do
that which they themselves were are unable to do by their own abilities and
devices. No compass or GPS would have
led them there – even King Herod was befuddled over the whereabouts of the King
of the Jews. As we follow after the
Master, God directs, enables and equips us through His power just as He did
these Magi albeit extraordinary helps are not to be expected when ordinary
means are available. I am reminded of
Paul’s words in Philippians:
13 I
can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:13 (NIV)
“We cannot expect too little from
man, nor too much from God.” Matthew Henry
What in the world could have been the reaction of the Magi
to the humble abode in which the star led them to discover the King of Kings? Surely they had to have been at the very least
a little taken aback when they see a cottage in lieu of a castle. Yet we discover in our verses quite the
opposite. Undeterred, they humbly
present themselves in worship first then their gifts second. Interestingly, they bow down in worship to the
Lord Jesus even though they had not given such honor to Herod though he was in
the height of grandeur. Neither a castle
nor a crown make
a man a king - only perhaps externally.
We can take a pig and put a royal robe on him and set him on a throne
but he is still a pig.
These
Magi present their gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh to young Jesus. What on earth could Mary have been thinking
while all this was taking place? Surely it
was another thing she would “treasure up and ponder in her heart” (Luke 2:19). In the eastern nations when one did homage to
their kings they brought gifts from their own country. The Proverb rings true:
16 A
gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.
Prov 18:16 (NIV)
The gifts presented to Jesus had
symbolic value as well. Gold was offered
because Jesus was/is King; incense was offered because Jesus was/is God - for
they honored God with the smoke of incense; and lastly myrrh was offered Jesus as
a Man who would die - as myrrh was used in embalming dead bodies. Interestingly
as well, these gifts were a timely relief sent by Providence to Joseph and Mary
in their present poor condition. This
would have helped them when they headed towards Egypt. God also protects these Magi warning them in
a dream not to go back to King Herod preventing the harm Herod had planned for
the King of the Jews.
5 Trust
in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make
your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6 (NIV)
What I
glean from this:
· God
led the wise men in Shekinah like glory to the Christ child.
· God
will be with me wherever I go.
· There
is joy in God’s presence.
