Fresh Start Devotionals

The Greatest Gift Matthew 2:11 NASB “And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Angie Flaute of Celina, Ohio made sure that her children knew the real meaning of Christmas by telling them the Biblical narrative of Jesus’ birth. She explained that after he was born, three wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the infant Jesus. Her six-year daughter thought about what she heard and responded, “a Wise-Woman would have brought diapers.” I think the little girl is right, diapers would have been a far more practical gift, but what they gave was far more worshipful. What is more fitting than gold? A present fit for a King! What about frankincense? Why did they give it to Jesus? Frankincense was the scent used in temple worship by the priests to cover the smell of the sacrifices. Jesus was the king of kings, but he was also the “great high priest.” Hebrews 2:17 says, “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” Frankincense is the perfect gift for a priest. Why Myrrh? In Jesus’ time, people used Myrrh to embalm their dead. Sounds like a thoughtless gift for a baby shower, doesn’t it? Inappropriate? No, not really, not in this case anyway. Hebrews 10:10 says, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Jesus was born so He could die, so that through His death we could experience new life, because our Messiah came, and died, and rose from the grave. And that is the greatest Christmas gift of all times. Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).